Armament aid from Germany
Armored dingoes and more rocket launchers for Ukraine
The Bundeswehr’s Dingo all-protection transport vehicle is parked at the military training area. photo
© Philipp Schulze/dpa
The pressure to deliver more weapon systems to Ukraine is growing. The Federal Minister of Defense announces more armaments aid. But the battle tanks desired by Kyiv are not among them.
The German government will hand over two more Mars multiple rocket launchers and 50 armored Dingo vehicles to Ukraine to ward off the Russian attack. In addition, 200 missiles would be delivered, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced on Thursday in Berlin. The armed wheeled transporter Dingo is used for patrol and reconnaissance and can also be transported by plane. Berlin is thus expanding the list of weapon systems, but is leaving Kyiv’s demand for battle tanks and armored personnel carriers unfulfilled.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has repeatedly emphasized that he does not want to go it alone when it comes to arms deliveries – which, conversely, does not rule out main battle tanks if allies also deliver or at least agree. So far, no NATO country has delivered Western-style main battle tanks to Ukraine.
“We help with heavy military equipment, with ammunition, with the training of Ukrainian soldiers, because their fight is also our fight,” said Scholz on Thursday evening in Potsdam, where the M100 Media Award was presented to ex-heavyweights on behalf of the Ukrainian people World boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Germany will maintain this support – “reliably and for as long as necessary”.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil said at a party event in Oldenburg: “There has been a decision together with the Allies that no country will deliver Western-style battle tanks.” However, he expects the government to “deal with what is actually happening in Ukraine every day and what is the next step that we can take”.
Stefantschuk demands delivery of battle tanks
At the start of a visit to Germany, the President of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefantschuk, called for the German government to lead the way in supplying battle tanks. “Germany should live up to its leadership role and be the first country to deliver battle tanks,” he told the German Press Agency. “A country like Germany doesn’t wait to see what others do.” He demanded a quick decision. “What else do you need, what should happen in order to come to a decision? A decision should be made quickly, especially because of the approaching winter.”
Stefantschuk is in Berlin for a parliamentary conference of the group of seven economically strong democracies (G7). Germany currently holds the G7 presidency. The speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, will also take part in the conference, which will mainly take place on Friday and Saturday.
Klitschko: War can only be stopped with modern weapons
Klitschko also demanded modern Leopard 2 tanks from Germany. “Only with modern weapons, with modern technology, can we stop this war and stop Russia,” he told the German Press Agency. Marder armored personnel carriers are also needed. “The longer the war drags on, the more people we lose.”
The CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter held Scholz personally responsible for the German restraint on certain tanks. “The Chancellery has instructed the Ministry of Defense not to deliver armored personnel carriers and battle tanks – and that needs to be clarified. We also want to have this clarified in parliament,” Kiesewetter told the Welt television channel. “This prevention tactic costs blood, and ultimately it can lead to Moldova, NATO as a whole, including the Baltic States, being attacked.”
In the Bundeswehr, however, the new weapons deliveries are met with criticism, especially that of the 200 Mars rockets. “With all understanding, the Bundeswehr needs your device,” said the chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, the broadcaster world. He reminded that the troops should provide the NATO spearhead unit VJTF in a year. He hopes that this will be the last delivery from the Bundeswehr.
Lambrecht: Ukraine’s successes are encouraging
At the start of a Bundeswehr conference, Lambrecht addressed the situation in Ukraine and the consequences for Europe. “The brutal Russian attack on Ukraine is a turning point. And we are clearly with them in the courageous struggle of the Ukrainians by imposing sanctions on Russia. We are offering around a million refugees a place of refuge,” said Lambrecht. “We provide financial support and we also support by supplying weapons. And it is encouraging to see what successes Ukraine has been able to achieve in the last few days, also with the help of German weapons.”
Military and civilian experts discuss the course of the German armed forces at the Bundeswehr conference. The motto of the event is “The Bundeswehr at a turning point – a critical appraisal in times of war in Europe”. The Ministry of Defense describes the conference as a milestone in one of the most far-reaching change processes in the Bundeswehr since the end of the East-West conflict. Scholz is expected there on Friday.