Ukrainian officials have been calling on Western allies to supply them with the modern German-made tanks for months - but Berlin has so far held back from sending them, or allowing other NATO countries to do so.

Her remarks appeared to go further than German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's comments at a summit in Paris earlier on Sunday that all decisions on weapons deliveries would be made in coordination with allies including the United States.

Pistorius told ARD TV that Germany would not make a hasty decision because the government had many factors to consider, including consequences at home for the security of the German population.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy repeated his long-standing plea for the tanks at his Sunday meeting with former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who was visiting Kyiv.

A Leclerc XLR battle tank manufactured by Nexter is displayed at the Eurosatory international defense and security trade fair in Villepinte, near Paris, France June 13, 2022.

Ukraine says the heavily armoured Western battle tanks would give the Ukrainian ground troops more mobility and protection ahead of a new Russian offensive which Kyiv expects in the near future.