Germany increases military aid to partner countries, with a large portion going to Ukraine.

The aforementioned amount is supplemental spending, not included in the 100 billion euro package allocated to the German military in 2022. According to the German government's plan, the funds are primarily intended for the purchase of new military equipment and weapons, with Peace Corps Europe receiving approximately 400 million euros to purchase weapons for Ukraine. The remaining funds will be spent on the German military, the purchase of weapons for Ukraine, and several other countries. In total, Ukraine could receive more than 1 billion euros in this new military aid package.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner confirmed the plan.

Also on April 15, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a phone call with his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht, during which they discussed joint efforts to continue supporting Ukraine and defending the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). According to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed gratitude for Germany's "strong commitment" to join NATO allies and partners in "providing essential defense capabilities for Ukraine."

In a related development, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that a Kremlin spokesperson confirmed Moscow had sent diplomatic notes to the United States and other countries regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine, but did not specify the contents of these notes.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported on April 16 that Russia had warned the US against continuing to supply weapons to Ukraine. According to the report, Russia urged the US and its allies to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, stating that this "could have unpredictable consequences for regional and international security."