BERLIN

Germany cannot send more weapons to Ukraine from its own military stocks, because it is already facing serious equipment shortages, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said late Wednesday.

“We would like to support Ukraine militarily with everything we have. But unfortunately, in the current situation, we have an absolute deficit in our own stocks,” Baerbock told public broadcaster ZDF.

She said her government is having talks with German defense companies to produce military equipment specifically for Ukraine, which would include defensive weapons and advanced air defense systems.

The top German diplomat acknowledged that this process is likely to take longer than anticipated, and most of the shipments would not be possible before next year.