German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised Ukraine that Berlin will finance direct arms deliveries from German industry, as Russia prepares an offensive to seize parts of eastern Ukraine. Tuesday’s announcement follows growing pressure domestically and abroad, as critics have slammed Berlin for failing to provide support to Kiev. It also came as several other European countries announced plans to deliver heavier weapons to Ukraine. Scholz said on Tuesday that the government had asked the German arms industry to list what material could be supplied in the near future and that Kiev had made a select…