German Chancellor Olaf Scholz considered Saturday Russia's special operation in the Donbass region "a turning point in history. It threatens our entire post-war order," as his government approved the delivery of a huge batch of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

Berlin pledged to transfer 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger class surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine.

Der russische Überfall markiert eine Zeitenwende. Es ist unsere Pflicht, die Ukraine nach Kräften zu unterstützen bei der Verteidigung gegen die Invasionsarmee von #Putin. Deshalb liefern wir 1000 Panzerabwehrwaffen und 500 Stinger-Raketen an unsere Freunde in der #Ukraine.

— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) February 26, 2022

Besides the weapons, 14 armored vehicles will be handed over to Ukraine, and "will serve for the protection of personnel, possibly for evacuation purposes", said a government source.

Up to 10,000 tonnes of fuel will also be sent through Poland to Ukraine, said the source, adding that other "possible support services is now being examined."

Kiev has for weeks been pleading with Germany to send armaments to help face down an "invasion" by Russia.

Berlin shifting its decisions 

Berlin's previous decision to send 5,000 helmets to Ukraine and not agree on imposing sanctions on Russia -- including suspending Moscow from the SWIFT system that banks rely on to transfer money -- had sparked anger.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner had earlier this week warned that the SWIFT suspension "would mean that there is a high risk that Germany will no longer receive gas, raw material supplies from Russia."

Lindner told public television he was "open" to including SWIFT "in the course of possible further toughening of sanctions," while adding that allies would "have to be aware of the consequences."

However, with pressure mounting from allies, Berlin said it was now working on excluding Russia from the system in a "targeted and functional" way.

"We are working at the same time urgently on limiting the collateral damage from an exclusion from SWIFT so that (the measure) hits the right people," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in a joint statement.

"What we need is a targeted and functional limitation of SWIFT," they added.