Germany's new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is hoping to visit Ukraine as soon as possible, he said.
"What is certain is that I will travel to Ukraine quickly. Probably even within the next four weeks," he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
Pistorius took office on Thursday, replacing Christine Lambrecht who resigned after a series of mishaps.
High on the list of issues he faces is support for Ukraine, at a time when German hesitancy in providing weapons for Kiev is making headlines at home and abroad.
He will have a key role in deciding about arms deliveries after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for the delivery of German-made Leopard battle tanks, from Berlin and other capitals.
Germany, however, has yet to commit on this question, citing the need to coordinate with allies.
Asked when the decision on Leopard tanks for Ukraine would be made, Pistorius said, "We are in very close dialogue with our international partners, first and foremost with the US, on this issue."
He said that in order to be best prepared for possible decisions, he had instructed the ministry on Friday to "examine everything to the extent that we do not lose time unnecessarily" as and when tanks are to be dispatched.
His comments come days after Ukraine supporters met at the Ramstein US air base in western Germany, where Berlin faced considerable pressure from allies to provide the battle tanks.
Berlin has also not yet issued an approval for other countries to deliver the German-made weapons.
