Germany supports Slovenia in delivering tanks to Ukraine

The federal government is stepping up its efforts to help Ukraine obtain more military material. Slovenia will deliver more of its main T-72 main battle tanks to Ukraine. To fill the gap, Slovenia should receive Marder armored vehicles, made in Germany. This was confirmed to the FAZ by government circles. There are about 30 to 40 T-72 tanks. These come from Russian production. The German press agency reported that German wheeled armored vehicles of the Fuchs type were also to be included in the compensation. According to the report, Slovenia also wants the German Leopard 2 main battle tanks, Boxer wheeled armored vehicles and Puma infantry fighting vehicles. FAZ did not confirm that the corresponding deliveries were planned.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced this process, known as backloading, on Tuesday. It has the advantage that Ukrainian soldiers experienced in handling the T-72 can use the tanks immediately without time-consuming additional training. It may take several months for the mink to be delivered to Slovenia.

“The Bundeswehr is in a situation where it unfortunately cannot hand over any weapons”

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) justified on Thursday that Berlin is not delivering its own heavy weapons, such as tanks, to Ukraine. Individual countries have “different options” for delivering armored vehicles and other tanks, she told television station RTL. When asked when Ukraine should receive Slovenia’s tanks, she spoke of “the next few days”. She reiterated that Germany had limited ability to deliver its own weapons. “The Bundeswehr is in a situation where it unfortunately cannot give up arms if I want to guarantee national and alliance defense.” This is also an obligation to NATO partners. The Bundeswehr was “sewn to the brim,” Lambrecht said.

The Defense Minister confirmed reports that Germany wants to train Ukrainian soldiers how to use the Panzerhaubitze 2000. These howitzers are said to be delivered to Ukraine by the Netherlands. Germany cannot do this alone because the “Bundeswehr is not equipped in this way”. According to reports, Germany could supply ammunition for the Howitzer 2000.

The chairman of the state association SPD in Thuringia, Georg Maier, spoke out in favor of giving Ukraine heavy weapons from German stockpiles on Thursday. He called for the supply or funding of weapons that were “most effective”. Maier told the “Thüringer Allgemeine Zeitung”: “But we must also supply armored vehicles like the Marder directly from the Bundeswehr.”

Cleaver: Adjust weapon loadout question

SPD President Lars Klingbeil defended Scholz from criticism for a lack of leadership, which also comes from the ranks of the traffic light coalition. “It is true that in this current situation we have a chancellor who leads carefully, who thinks things through from the end, who coordinates with international partners.” Germany has had deliveries to Ukraine in recent weeks significantly increased in terms of quality and quantity. “We are seeing Russia changing the way war is fought. We also have to adjust the issue of weapons deliveries,” Klingbeil told ZDF.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called the situation in Ukrainian Mariupol “difficult to bear”. During a visit to the Estonian capital of Tallinn, Baerbock said that in Mariupol, the world is witnessing “a bleeding, starving city”. This underscores the “brutality” with which Russia is waging the war against Ukraine.