Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, says he has received promises from Berlin for further weapons deliveries to his home country.

“In direct talks, we were assured of more weapons and more ammunition. Which ones, we will jointly announce in due course,” Makeiev told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

He said he does not want to put diplomatic pressure on the German government, but nevertheless called on Germany to deliver what it has more quickly “because we don’t have time to wait longer for weapons.”

More anti-aircraft systems, self-propelled howitzers and ammunition are urgently needed on the front lines, he said in the interview published on Sunday.

“In addition, we are still in talks about the delivery of Marder [infantry fighting vehicles] and Leopard battle tanks. However, the decision on this lies with the German government,” the ambassador said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far rejected the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks on the grounds that no other NATO country has yet provided them either.

The US signalled Friday that it sees no obstacle to the deliveries. But it is Germany’s decision, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters during a visit to Berlin.

Makeiev further told the newspaper that the German government had promised him that there would be no negotiations with Russia without Kiev’s consent: “I was clearly assured that there will be no negotiations with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin if we don’t want that.”

At the moment, he said, Ukraine does not need mediators, but allies.

“Peace in Ukraine cannot be negotiated, it must be fought for. When the chancellor says Ukraine will be helped as long as it needs, that means until the last Russian soldier is gone from our soil – including Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea – and that reparations have been paid and war criminals convicted,” Makeiev said.

Makeiev took over the post of ambassador to Germany from his predecessor Andriy Melnyk about six weeks ago. Melnyk became deputy foreign minister in Kiev.