Weapons for Ukraine: Germany plans ring exchange with Greece

Status: 05/31/2022 7:51 p.m

More weapons are to be delivered to Ukraine via a ring exchange between Germany and Greece. Germany has already reached similar agreements with Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

After Slovenia and the Czech Republic, Germany is now also aiming for a so-called ring exchange with Greece. In this way, the Ukraine should be supplied with further heavy weapons.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the further exchange of rings after a conversation with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels. “This will now be discussed in detail between the defense ministries and can then be implemented quickly,” said Scholz.

Similar exchange as with the Czech Republic?

The Chancellor has not yet given any specific details, but said that something similar is planned with Greece, as is planned for the ring exchange with the Czech Republic. Almost two weeks ago, the German and Czech governments agreed that Germany should deliver 15 “Leopard 2” tanks from industrial stocks to the Czech Republic – as compensation for the heavy equipment from Soviet times that was made available from Czech stocks for the Ukrainian military became. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trained in the use of these weapons.

At the time, the Czech media reported that Soviet T-72 tanks and other heavy armaments were being delivered to Ukraine. Accordingly, these were, among other things, tanks of the Soviet design T-72, BMP-1 armored personnel carriers and Dana howitzers.

Multiple calls for more NATO support

The Greek military also has Soviet BMP-1 armored personnel carriers. The country’s government had repeatedly pressed for more support from NATO partners. In the middle of the month, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos again stressed that his country would only supply heavy weapons to Ukraine if they were immediately replaced by similar weapons systems from other NATO members.

First, Germany had agreed to exchange rings with Slovenia. The deal: A larger number of T-72 main battle tanks – also from Soviet times – were to go to Ukraine from Slovenia. And from Germany, Slovenia was to receive the Marder armored personnel carrier and the Fuchs wheeled armored vehicle.

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