Germany confirms delivery of Gepard tanks to Ukraine

BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Germany would supply Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine and provide training for the country's soldiers, Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht said on Tuesday.

"If Ukraine urgently needs such air defense systems, then we are ready to support them," Lambrecht said at an international consultation meeting in the U.S. Air Force base in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Representatives of around 40 countries, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, met in Ramstein for discussion over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Addressing criticism that Germany would not provide enough weapons to Ukraine, Lambrecht said that the country had reached its limits. "For decades, Bundeswehr spending was cut." Now, Germany has changed its position on weapon deliveries to conflict areas.

Earlier this year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a special defense fund of 100 billion euros (106 billion U.S. dollars) and an increase in annual defense budgets to more than 2 percent of the country's gross domestic product. (1 euro = 1.06 U.S. dollars)