Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Germany wants consensus on tanks

* A Canadian company supplying battle-ready armoured vehicles to Ukraine plans to deliver the 200 vehicles Ottawa promised to Kyiv before summer, the firm's chief executive said. * The Netherlands is finalising plans to provide Patriot air missile defence systems to Ukraine with Germany and the United States and will announce further military support on Friday, the defence minister said.

Germany wants allied consensus on the re-export of German-made battle tanks to help Ukraine's defence against the Russian invasion, Germany's defence minister said on Friday after European leaders urged Berlin to lift a veto. WEAPONRY

* German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said export authorization for the tanks was discussed at a meeting of NATO defence leaders and allies at the Ramstein military base, but that no decision had been taken. * Pistorious said there was good reasons for and against sending Ukraine the tanks, which are used by several armed forces around Europe including countries that want to supply the vehicles to Kyiv.

* The minister said, however, that Germany was ready to 'move quickly' if there was agreement with allies about the tanks. * Opening the meeting, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin called on countries to "dig deeper" in their support for Ukraine, saying now was not the time to slow down.

* NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that countries backing Ukraine needed to focus not only on sending new weapons to Kyiv, but looking at ammunition for older systems and helping maintain them. * Poland and Finland have already said they will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine if Germany gives approval for export.

* Finland announced on Friday a new donation of more than 400 million euros ($434 million) worth of defence equipment for Ukraine, not including Leopard 2 heavy tanks which it said it could also send if there is an agreement with allies. * The United States Defense Department announced new military assistance for Ukraine valued at up to $2.5 billion, including armoured vehicles and support for Ukraine's air defence. The aid includes 59 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 90 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers, but not Abrams tanks.

* A group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine. * A Canadian company supplying battle-ready armoured vehicles to Ukraine plans to deliver the 200 vehicles Ottawa promised to Kyiv before summer, the firm's chief executive said.

* The Netherlands is finalising plans to provide Patriot air missile defence systems to Ukraine with Germany and the United States and will announce further military support on Friday, the defence minister said. DIPLOMACY

* The director of the CIA travelled in secret to Kyiv at the end of last week to meet Zelenskiy, the Washington Post reported, citing a U.S. official and other sources. Burns briefed Zelenskiy on his expectations on Russia's military plans, the report said. * The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he worried the world was becoming complacent about the considerable dangers posed by the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia atomic plant in southern Ukraine. (Compiled by Grant McCool)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)