German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht on Monday tendered her resignation, amid scrutiny over Berlin’s response to the war in Ukraine, writes CNBC.

“Today I asked the Chancellor to be released from the role of defence minister”, - Lambrecht said in a statement.

Her stepdown comes as Germany mulls whether to approve an increase in military support to Ukraine in order to help Kyiv’s armed forces prevail against the Russian onslaught.

“The focus from the media over months on my person hardly allows for objective reporting and discussion about the soldiers, the armed forces and the course for security policy in the interest of Germany’s citizens”, - Lambrecht said.

“The valuable work of the soldiers and the many motivated people in the industry needs to be at the forefront. I therefore decided to make my post available. I thank everyone who engages themselves for our security every day and sincerely wish them the best of luck for the future”, - she added.

Lambrecht, a senior lawmaker in German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, had faced sustained pressure over her credibility to lead the country’s armed forces.