Germany to buy rocket artillery systems from the US for Ukraine

Boris Pistorius (L), German Minister of Defense, sits in a meeting with his US counterpart (not pictured). The Minister is meeting his counterparts, diplomats and officers during his military policy trip. Britta Pedersen/dpa

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin will pay for the delivery of three HIMARS long-range missile artillery systems from the United States to Ukraine.

Pistorius made the decision public on Thursday in Washington after talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

He said the three systems, which cost tens of millions of dollars, will come from the stocks of the US armed forces and will be paid for by Berlin.

The HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a multiple rocket launcher artillery system mounted on a lorry chassis.

Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, sits in a meeting with his US counterpart (not pictured). The Minister meets his counterparts, diplomats and officers during his military policy trip. Britta Pedersen/dpa