Status: 04/26/2022 07:31
At the US military base in Ramstein, defense ministers from several countries are discussing more arms deliveries to Ukraine. Who has given what so far – and how strong is the pressure on Germany? An overview.
By Kai Küstner, ARD Capital Studio
Don’t go it alone when it comes to weapons deliveries, everything is closely coordinated with NATO partners – that’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s mantra. However, this can hardly hide one thing: if, contrary to expectations, Germany one day decided to send heavy weapons directly to Ukraine – it would by no means be an individual effort.
NDR logo Kai Küstner ARD capital studio
France and Holland also deliver
The list of countries that have been supplying heavy equipment for a long time, or at least have announced that they will, is getting bigger and bigger: France and the Netherlands are also part of this group. French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced that he would make the “Caesar” howitzer available. Ukrainian soldiers must be trained in France in this heavy, self-propelled weapon.
Holland also wants to deliver: with the Panzerhaubitze 2000, a weapon made in Germany, by the way.
The US offer is even more comprehensive: in addition to howitzers, it also includes Russian-made helicopters and armored personnel carriers. In addition, the United States has developed a drone called “Phoenix Ghost” specially adapted to Ukrainian needs.
It has long been known that supposedly smaller NATO partners such as Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia also sent heavy weapons to Ukraine. The Czech Republic and Poland are said to have supplied Soviet-designed armored personnel carriers, the T-72 – even though there is no official confirmation of this. The consideration of equipping Ukraine with MiG fighters is also not off the table.
Ring exchange between Germany and Slovenia
Germany has so far rejected direct delivery of tanks from Bundeswehr stockpiles – mainly because of the reserves of Chancellor Scholz and much of the SPD.
However, the federal government wants to help Ukraine obtain heavy equipment indirectly: through NATO partner Slovenia, providing armored personnel carriers, and the Bundeswehr, filling the gap that was torn there. “Exchange of rings” is the name of this German compromise solution, with the help of which the traffic light coalition must be held together.
But internal and external pressure to one day deliver heavy weapons directly to Ukraine is likely to increase.
Keywords heavy weapons for Ukraine – who supplies what
Kai Küstner, ARD Berlin, 25 April 2022 18:44