Pistorius will hold meetings "on the continuation of cooperation and support" for Ukraine's defence industry, a ministry spokesman told AFP. The United States' policy toward Ukraine is widely expected to change under Trump.

Kyiv worries that Trump will force Ukraine to make concessions to Russia, and in advance of his inauguration Ukrainian officials have been intensifying contacts with European counterparts.

Berlin has been the second largest provider of aid to Ukraine after the United States but there have been frequent debates within Germany over the extent of that support.

Last week Pistorius met his Ukrainian counterpart at a gathering of Kyiv's allies at the US Ramstein military base in Germany.

On Monday Pistorius went to Poland for a meeting with his Polish, French, Italian and British counterparts on supplying arms to Ukraine.