Germany pledges €200 million for Kiev to defend energy infrastructure

Germany is providing Ukraine with a further €200 million ($230 million) to respond to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

"These funds are intended to further strengthen Ukraine's protection against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's bombing campaign," said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popsoi in Berlin.

The funding will be used to finance reconnaissance drones and support civil defence, he said, arguing that the move "strengthens Ukraine's resilience and also benefits Moldova."

Wadephul play down fears that the focus could shift away from negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine in light of the war in Iran.

Although the German government takes the new threats that could arise from the Iran war very seriously, Wadephul emphasized that "for Germany, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law, and the associated threat to all its neighbouring states remains the number one security policy issue."

The additional funding from Berlin comes amid tensions at the European level on assistance for Kiev, with Hungary vetoing a €90 billion EU package over its complaint that Ukraine is blocking oil supplies from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline.