German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has visited Ukraine for the first time in more than two years and vowed to keep supporting Kyiv in the war

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine for the first time in more than 2 1/2 years Monday. The visit comes just weeks after he was criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

By Pavel Polityuk and Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced new military aid for Ukraine during a rare visit on Monday that he said sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Berlin would stand by Kyiv for as long as needed in the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed off a federal budget that will boost defense spending to a record level next year. The budget for 2025 will take the amount allocated for national defense to 13.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a record-breaking defense budget, setting aside a staggering third of the government’s total spending as the war in Ukraine drains resources from both sides nearly three years on.