The Ukrainian president's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said that Germany will provide a new 2.7 billion euro ($3.0 billion) defense aid package to Kyiv.

The aid was announced by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Saturday, who pledged further support for Kyiv for as long as necessary.

Germany would "provide any help it can" as long as the conflict takes, the minister said, as he noted that the wish for a speedy end to the Ukraine conflict "is not yet foreseeable."

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the package will include 30 Leopard 1 tanks, 15 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, over 200 reconnaissance drones and four Iris-T anti-aircraft systems. It is Germany's biggest such package yet since the outbreak of the conflict. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Rome on Saturday for talks with political leaders, which could be followed by a trip to Berlin.

German officials have not confirmed the visit, but Berlin police have opened an inquiry after details of a possible trip attributed to the force appeared in the media.

Ukraine's Western allies have delivered increasingly powerful weapons to Kyiv since Russia sent its forces into Ukraine in February 2022, though so far not the advanced fighter jets that Zelenskyy has requested.

Ukraine has pressed them for long-range weapons, jets and ammunition before a counteroffensive expected in coming weeks or months. Saturday's German package also included 18 howitzers.

Germany was initially reluctant to provide heavy arms to Ukraine, fearing it might escalate the conflict. But in January Berlin agreed to send Leopard tanks and said it would work with allies to send more.

Last year, German provided military support worth 2 billion euros ($2.19 billion) and had earmarked 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for this year, though details had not yet been finalized.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks to the media on the day of the Fourth Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein U.S. Air Base, Germany, April 21, 2023. /Reuters)