"Germany is working on providing Ukraine with an additional Patriot system for the winter months. I'm grateful for Germany's support in defending our freedom and people," Zelensky said on social media.

Scholz later told reporters he told Zelensky "that Germany will supply one of the most highly effective defence weapons, namely the Patriot air defence system."

"This is a very far-reaching protection, there are not so many of them available," he said. "We have already made such a delivery possible. That was already very difficult for us.

"If we do it again now, it will be a very far-reaching measure that will also serve Ukraine's security on a large scale. Everyone in Ukraine knows that, and especially the president, of course," he said.

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