British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stressed the need to consider strengthening Ukraine's long-term defense at a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Munich Security Conference, the British government press office said.

The prime minister stressed the need for allies to think not only about securing peace in the short term, but also about strengthening Ukraine's long-term defense, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

The two leaders agreed on the need to maintain a record level of international support for Ukraine.

They agreed that recent international offers of major battle tanks and other equipment would be transformed on the ground, the statement said.