Man charged with helping Idaho inmate escape during a hospital ambush sentenced to life in prison
Trump-endorsed Bibles meet requirements laid out for Oklahoma schools
US security officials warn of potential threats surrounding October 7th anniversary
‘He should put a sock in it’: Bolton says Biden shouldn’t tell Iran what Israel should do
Map shows possible Israeli targets in Iran
A year of escalating conflict in the Middle East has ushered in a new era of regional displacement
US dividend ETFs bask in investor attention after jumbo Fed rate cut
Stanford scientists develop gel to protect homes against wildfires
What's next for oil and gas prices as Middle East tensions heat up?
Bronny James ready to begin his Lakers career in preseason. LeBron might not join until next game
'Devastated' Joe Musgrove needs Tommy John surgery and won't pitch for the Padres in the NLDS
Mets name Kodai Senga their Game 1 starter against the Phillies in the NLDS
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday the majority of countries in the European Union were not delivering sufficient weapons to Ukraine to help it battle a Russian invasion, calling upon allies to increase their efforts.
With American military assistance to Ukraine stalled in the U.S. Congress, Scholz insisted on the need for Europe to step up, repeating his mantra that the German government would support Kyiv for as long as necessary.
Germany itself had come under much criticism in the early months of Russia's invasion for failing to step up and provide the leadership and military backing to Kyiv expected of one of Europe's major powers.
It is now, however, one of the top providers of both weapons and financial aid. Late last year it agreed to double the country's military aid for Ukraine in 2024 to 8 billion euros ($8.8 billion).
"As significant as the German contribution is, it will not be enough to ensure Ukraine's security in the long run," Scholz said at a news conference in Berlin.
"Therefore I call on allies in the European Union to strengthen their efforts regarding Ukraine. The planned weapons deliveries to Ukraine of most EU member states are not enough," he added.
Scholz said Berlin had asked the EU to check with individual member states what deliveries they were planning as not all perhaps were known.
The chancellor said he was confident the bloc would agree its proposed 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine at an upcoming emergency summit on Feb. 1. The EU failed to agree on the deal at an EU summit in December due to opposition from Hungary.
($1 = 0.9111 euro)
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Sarah Marsh, Editing by Victoria Waldersee and Jonathan Oatis)
