Germany 'walking a fine line' in supplying arms to Ukraine amid own deficit: FM Baerbock

Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, said Ukraine should be given more weapons but pointed at a deficit of equipment for Germany's troops." During an interview with German media agency, ZDF, Baerbock said that Germany's troops are under-equipped.

"It is a fine line that we have been walking for days and weeks...Unfortunately, the situation here is such that we have absolute deficits in our own stocks. Of course, better deliveries should be made (to Ukraine) yesterday than today," the German foreign minister said. 

"However, Germany must also think in the medium term. Due to the German arms problem, the armaments industry had to dedicatedly produce material for the Ukraine," she added.

Baerbock claimed that given the six-month duration of the conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin's "mad plan" hasn't succeeded thus far. She continued that the Russian government aimed to seize Ukraine in a matter of days and topple President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's administration. Further, Baerbock remains convinced that talks with the Russian government to end the war are futile.

She said, "The Russian President has decided to destroy these peace talks, now for six months he has been destroying an innocent country."

Russia-Ukraine War: 25 killed in rocket strike on railway station

On August 24, a Russian rocket strike on a railway station killed 25 people, according to Ukraine. Ukrainian officials claimed that five of the victims of the attack in the eastern town of Chaplyne were burned to death in a vehicle. Two other boys, aged six and eleven, were also killed.

Russia claimed responsibility for a military train attack that killed hundreds of Ukrainian troops. Ukraine, however, has made no mention of military casualties as a result of the strike. Notably, Moscow has denied targeting civilian infrastructure on numerous occasions. On August 25, UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt armed attacks on Ukraine.

Ukraine celebrated its annual independence day on August 24. Ahead of celebrations, President Zelenskyy stated that Russia might do something "cruel" to disrupt the festivities and accused Moscow of turning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant into a "war zone," putting the plant and the people of Europe in danger and putting the world "on the verge of a radiation catastrophe." Ukraine had banned large gatherings and events out of fear that Russia would target them. 

(Image: AP)