NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called on allies to provide more military aid to Ukraine in the war against Russia. “We see no signs that President Putin is preparing for peace,” the Norwegian said in Brussels on Tuesday. “He is preparing for more war, for new offensives and new attacks.” Defense ministers from 30 NATO countries are gathering for a two-day meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
activate always activate once
It is therefore all the more important for NATO countries and their partners to provide more support to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of the Ukraine Contact Group, which coordinates arms deliveries. In concrete terms, therefore, it is about providing more ammunition and increasing production capacities – also so that their own stocks can be replenished.
Regarding the possible delivery of fighters, Stoltenberg said that the discussion is ongoing, but that this is not the most pressing issue. A major issue was which systems would be supplied to Ukraine, and this debate developed as the war progressed. “But it’s also extremely important to ensure that all systems already delivered are working as they should.” In addition to ammunition, Stoltenberg spoke about spare parts and maintenance. In addition, it is urgent to deliver the weapons that have already been promised. Here, the Norwegian mentioned the German Marder infantry fighting vehicle, the US Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and major battle tanks such as the German Leopard 2.
The Netherlands does not rule out the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. It is true that the Ukrainians have asked their country for F-16s, Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said on Tuesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the international contact group for arms sales to Ukraine in Brussels. You take this request “very seriously”.
question of fighters
At the same time, Ollongren highlighted that the F-16 is a complex weapons system and that the issue should be discussed with partners such as the US. “Ukraine is very aware that this is something that will take time,” she said. Jet fighters are not comparable to the main battle tanks that are now being delivered to Ukraine for combat in the coming months.
Asked if the Netherlands could supply Ukraine with its 18 Leopard 2 tanks rented from Germany, Ollongren reiterated that the tanks did not belong to the Netherlands. “It’s up to the Germans to decide which tanks to send to Ukraine,” she said. The Netherlands would support any decision that Germany takes on this issue. According to information from The Hague last week, the German government decided that they should not be made available to Ukraine for the time being.
At NATO’s two-day summit in Brussels, the focus is on the war in Ukraine and the Western military alliance’s joint efforts to expand stockpiles of arms and ammunition. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov is also expected.
Germany supplies ammunition
According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Germany will resume producing ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank. “Contracts for the production of calico ammunition have been signed,” Pistorius said ahead of the meeting. Ammunition is produced by the Rheinmetall armaments group. According to Pistorius, the decision was also made not to rely on neutral Switzerland. At the same time, he appealed to the German arms industry to increase production capacity. “There will be no short-term end to the war,” he added.
Pistorius also lowered the Europeans’ expectations by quickly forming a battalion of modern Leopard 2 A6 tanks for Ukraine. So far, only the 14 tanks promised by Germany and three by Portugal are ready. Other Leopard 2 A6 tanks from other nations are not being discussed. Things don’t look much better for the formation of a Leopard 2 A4 tank battalion organized by Poland, Pistorius said.
On Wednesday, it should be about strengthening the so-called eastern flank. It is planned to increase the number of soldiers in high operational readiness from 40,000 to 300,000. The meeting is overshadowed by the fact that Turkey is blocking the admission of the two Nordic countries, Finland and Sweden, to NATO. All 30 member countries must agree to an expansion of the alliance. (apa, Portal, dpa)