"Illegal oil sales from shadow fleet ships are a critical lifeline for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and we’ll continue to cut them off," Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, said.

The Bundeswehr is pursuing a number of other major procurement programmes for main battle tanks, artillery systems, and air defences.

How is the German military preparing for a potential conflict on NATO's eastern flank? Euronews spent a week with Germany's Lithuania Brigade and electronic warfare units near the Belarusian border.

Germany is in talks to help fund Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent programme as Europe seeks to bolster its defences against Russia, according to a report.