Ukraine to get 220,000 Gepard shells from UK, Germany in joint aid boost

UK and German Defense Ministers John Healey and Boris Pistorius said this at the opening of the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in the 'Ramstein' format, European Pravda reports.

Germany will fund the purchase of the shells, the first of which will be delivered in the coming days.

The partners aim to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense so that the Armed Forces of Ukraine can destroy enemy aircraft, drones, and missiles before attacks are launched.

“That’s why we’re financing the comprehensive delivery of long-range Ukrainian-made UAVs. These systems are already proving effective on the battlefield. They destroy Russian aircraft, drones, and missiles on the ground before they can pose a threat to Ukraine, its cities, or infrastructure,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

“The first systems funded by Germany will be handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the next few days and will be ready for immediate use,” he added.

The UK, for its part, has already allocated £700 million for artillery and missiles, £150 million of which has been committed in just the last two months. Since March 2025, London has supplied Ukraine with nearly 50,000 drones and announced an additional £40 million in aid under the NATO support package.

• The Ramstein-format meeting on July 21 was attended by representatives of 52 countries at the level of defense ministers or their deputies.