Debate on “Leopard” deliveries: “I can understand how urgent it is”

In the debate about the delivery of battle tanks, Foreign Minister Baerbock has not moved away from the German government’s no, even after her visit to eastern Ukraine. In the daily topics she said, but one always checks how one can help.

When Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, her counterpart Dmytro Kuleba left no doubt: Although his country is grateful for the arms deliveries so far, the “big decision” on battle tanks is still pending. “The sooner this decision is made, the sooner this war will end with a victory for Ukraine.”

But the federal government is not yet ready to agree to the desired delivery of “Leopard 2” tanks. Baerbock also confirmed this in an interview with the daily topics: “It is important for us that we do it together with our allies.”

Baerbock refers to the “Marder” decision

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, there have always been difficult situations in which it was necessary to weigh up how best to help. That is why Germany first delivered self-propelled howitzers and then air defense. In the past few days, the federal government has “taken a big step” to also agree to the delivery of “Marder” tanks to “support the liberation of cities”.

“Marder” are among the armored personnel carriers. The main battle tanks that are also required are once again significantly more heavily armed and more powerful.

“Even if the heart is on fire”

Together with international partners, Baerbock said that “how human lives can be saved” is constantly being checked. Her trip to Kharkiv also served this purpose. But there is also the responsibility that the war does not spread to other countries.

The closed action with the partners costs “at some moments a bit more time”. But it is important to consider together how to act responsibly – “even if your heart is burning”. You can understand “how much it is urgent,” said the Green politician.

Von der Leyen for “Leopard” deliveries

Not only Kyiv is demanding the delivery of “Leopard 2” tanks from its allies like Germany. Most recently, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke out in favor of it. Signals are also coming from Great Britain and Poland that are putting the federal government under new pressure to make decisions. The traffic light coalition itself is not unified – especially in the FDP there are advocates of main battle tank deliveries, the Greens do not rule out such a step.

Baerbock: Air defense is also important

Baerbock stressed in the daily topicsthat other support for Ukraine is also important, such as the delivery of air defense. That became clear to her in Kharkiv, which is only 40 kilometers from the Russian border. This means that the city is only “45 seconds away from a missile attack”.

Fears that there could be a new Russian offensive in the spring – this time from Belarus – are taken seriously, said the Foreign Minister. “We take everything very seriously.” It has been seen in recent months that the Russian President has no scruples. When it was below zero, the infrastructure in Kharkiv was shot at to interrupt the power supply. “Not only so that people no longer have light, but, as I found out here, deliberately in the hope that the water supply would then freeze at the same time.” It aims to destroy people.

Baerbock traveled to Ukraine by train from Poland on Monday evening. In the heavily damaged city of Kharkiv in the east of the country, she and her colleague Kuleba visited a substation and a children’s hospital, among other things.