Germany to send thousands of weapons to Ukraine in major reversal

What they're saying: "The Russian attack marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend against the invading army of Putin. That's why we're supplying 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 stinger missiles to our friends in the Ukraine," Scholz tweeted.

• Germany will also lift its ban on other countries exporting German-origin weapons, allowing the Netherlands to transfer 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers to Ukraine.

The big picture: Germany is the largest economy and most powerful country in the European Union, making its voice and policy positions critical to the effectiveness of the West's response to Russia's invasion.

• Germany is highly reliant on Russian natural gas and had been an obstacle in discussions about imposing the harshest sanctions on Moscow, fearing the economic and energy reverberations.

• Massive public pressure, including from Ukrainian officials, appears to have led Germany to drop its opposition to a number of the toughest measures, including halting the certification of the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

What to watch: The EU is working toward an agreement to disconnect Russia from the SWIFT financial system, a major step that Germany had previously opposed along with Italy and Hungary.

Go deeper: Ukraine-Russia crisis dashboard