Ukraine: Germany to beef up Lithuania force as Scholz begins diplomatic blitz

Chancellor flies to Washington amid criticism of Berlin's approach to Russian mobilisation

Germany is preparing to send reinforcements to its battlegroup in Lithuania as the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, headed to Washington to reassure Nato allies of its solidarity over the Ukraine crisis.

Tentative planning for a further deployment of German military force follows weeks of criticism of Berlin's approach to Russia's mobilisation of 145,000 troops on its border with Ukraine.