German howitzers soon to be ready for use in Ukraine - minister

FILE PHOTO: German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht gestures as she speaks during a session of Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, June 3, 2022. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

BERLIN (Reuters) - The training of Ukrainian troops on German howitzers will soon be completed, paving the way for the use of the weapons in the war in Ukraine, German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Tuesday.

"The training on the Panzerhaubitze 2000 will soon be completed so that it can be used in battle in Ukraine," she told reporters during a visit to a military base in the western German town of Rheinbach.