Status: 02/13/2022 2:07 p.m
The federal government is apparently examining a Ukrainian wish list for the delivery of military goods. Economic aid is also being considered. Kiev’s Mayor Klitschko calls for international support.
Before Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Kiev, the German government promised Ukraine further armaments aid below the level of lethal weapons. According to unanimous media reports from German government circles, the wish list for military equipment presented by Ukraine included “one or the other” that “you can take a closer look at”. That will now be checked.
In addition to the political decision, it is also about the actual availability of this material, which is also used by the Bundeswehr itself. The situation is that “there is nothing left in the Bundeswehr at the moment. There are not a thousand night vision devices lying around that are not needed,” quoted the AFP news agency from government circles.
Germany promises economic aid
However, Scholz will probably not make any commitments on his first visit to Kiev. “Nothing to be expected yet,” it said.
The situation is different with further economic aid, which is also being demanded by Ukraine. Accordingly, according to the reports, it was indicated that there could be concrete commitments at this point. In view of the political turbulence, the Ukrainian currency is under pressure. Germany is therefore examining “whether we still have bilateral opportunities to make a contribution to economic support”. Details were not given.
Since 2014, Germany has already provided almost two billion euros for Ukraine and is Ukraine’s largest bilateral donor. At that time, the federal government also provided the state with a credit line of 500 million euros. Of this, around 350 million euros have been paid out so far. A final tranche of a further 150 million euros is expected in the foreseeable future.
No delivery of lethal weapons
The federal government has given a clear rejection of the delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine. But the no does not apply to other armaments. To a small extent, Germany has also approved arms deliveries to Ukraine since Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea and the start of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht recently promised 5,000 protective helmets. A number of armaments, including anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-drone guns and ammunition, are on the Ukrainian embassy’s wish list. But there are also goods that are clearly not deadly weapons. These include electronic tracking systems, mine clearance equipment, protective suits, digital radios, radar stations and night vision devices.
“The world must help us now”
Representatives of Ukraine called for more western solidarity with their country. The mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Vitaly Klitschko, appealed to the international community to stand with his country. “We are prepared for the worst in Ukraine, the world must help us now,” he told the “Bild am Sonntag”. Russian President Vladimir Putin is striving for world power, “and the West should know that after Ukraine it will be the turn of the Baltic states. We are only the beginning,” said Klitschko.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, said in Deutschlandfunk, everything is at stake for his country now. “Either we survive this new invasion, this attack, or we perish.” Europe and Germany would also be affected in the event of a military escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
Melnyk renewed his demand for Germany to supply arms to his country and accused German politicians of looking at the Ukraine conflict through “Russian glasses”. Ukraine is hoping for a real new start in bilateral relations from the Chancellor’s visit. Kiev wants to be an equal partner.
Federal government: situation “extremely dangerous”
The federal government assesses the current situation in the Ukraine crisis as “extremely dangerous”. The “very worrying overall picture” will have a significant impact on Scholz’s talks with Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin, the dpa news agency reported, citing government circles.
The aim of the two visits is to maintain the thread of talks with Russia about de-escalation. One wants to advocate a dialogue about the demands of both sides. “We are not only ready for such talks, we also actively demand them.”
States to leave Ukraine
In the past few days, the crisis surrounding the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine has escalated. Most recently, US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, openly warned of a Russian invasion of Ukraine before the end of next week.
Numerous Western countries asked their citizens to leave Ukraine – including Germany. And while Russia is holding major military maneuvers in Belarus, the US has added 3,000 more troops to Poland.