Germany says it will send 5,000 helmets to Ukraine after being slammed for refusing to send weapons

• Germany's defense minister said her country would send 5,000 helmets to Ukraine amid rising Russian tensions.
• It comes after Ukraine criticized Germany for refusing to send weapons.

Germany's defense minister said Germany will send Ukraine 5,000 helmets after it was criticized for not sending the country weapons despite the threat of a Russian invasion.

Christine Lambrecht told Germany's defense committee about the plans on Wednesday, the defense ministry tweeted.

The ministry said Lambrecht "also made it clear that Germany stands closely on the side of" Ukraine.

German officials previously said the country would not send weapons to Ukraine, but that it would send a field hospital. Its stance breaks with its NATO allies, some of which have sent defense weapons to Ukraine.

In response, Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv's mayor, accused Germany of a betrayal of friends." Ukraine has warned that Russia has amassed over 100,000 troops at the border, but Russia has repeatedly denied having any plans for an invasion.

Germany was also criticized by Ukraine after Germany's top navy officer said Russia "deserves respect" over Ukraine.

That officer later resigned. Germany then said on Monday it would help Ukraine by giving it financial aid, though it did not say how much.

Germany also refused permission to fellow NATO member Estonia to export old German-made D-30 howitzers to Ukraine.