“Ukrainian diplomat Dmytro Kuleba warned on Tuesday that civilians will be killed until Germany delivers its tanks, as Berlin has yet to respond positively to Kyiv’s request for Leopard tanks,” reports AFP.

“The longer such a decision is delayed, the more victims there will be, the more civilians will die,” Kuleba said after the surprise visit of his German colleague Annalena Berbock to Kharkiv (northeast).

During a surprise visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock, Germany promised to supply more weapons to Ukraine and help the war-torn country join the European Union, Sky News reports.

“This city is a symbol of the absolute insanity of this Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the endless suffering that people, especially here in the east of the country, deal with every day,” Burbok said.

The minister said he had proposed a “new package” of aid, including 20 million euros for demining and the same amount to develop the Starlink internet access network. She also announced new deliveries of generators for the Ukrainian energy infrastructure systematically bombarded by Russia.

Last week, Germany promised to send Marder combat vehicles to Kyiv as part of increased military support.

Annalena Burbok also noted that it is important not to lose sight of Ukraine’s place in Europe and its desire to join the EU.