HELSINKI - Finland announced on Friday a 400 million-euro (S$573 million) military aid package to Ukraine, its largest to date that will include heavy artillery, as well as munitions, but no Leopard tanks.

“Ukraine continues to need support in defending its territory,” Defence Minister Mikko Savola said in a statement.

The ministry did not disclose more detailed information on the contents of the package but said the aid did not include Leopard battle tanks, special adviser Miikka Pynnonen said.

This is the Nordic country’s 12th package of defence materiel to Ukraine. The previous 11 had a combined value of 190 million euros.

The ministry also said Finland would sign a “statement of intent with Sweden on support for Ukraine” to make sure the aid “would not endanger the national defence of the two countries”.

“Finland supplies defence materiel to Ukraine, and Sweden expresses its readiness to support Finland as necessary,” the statement said.

On Thursday, Sweden pledged to send Ukraine its Archer artillery system, a modern mobile howitzer Kyiv has been requesting for months, along with armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles.

Pressure has also been mounting on Germany from its European allies to authorise exports of its Leopard tanks, which are used by several armed forces around the world, including Finland.

“We hope that this decision (to deliver Leopards) will be made real, and Finland is definitely ready to play its part in that support,” Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Tuesday. AFP