German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his British counterpart John Healey both expressed a desire for deescalation in Iran, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz at a Ukraine defense meeting in Berlin on Wednesday. They warned that the war in the Middle East was diverting attention and resources away from Ukraine , while also helping Russia's invasion .  The two countries pledged further military assistance for Ukraine, including Patriot missiles from Germany and drones from the UK,