DAccording to information from the FAZ, the federal government wants to deliver tanks to the Ukraine. The armaments manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) is to be given permission to sell technically refurbished Cheetah anti-aircraft tanks from former Bundeswehr stocks. KMW has a mid double-digit number of these tanks from the disbanded army air defense of the Bundeswehr. The cheetah can also be used in combat against ground targets. Combating flying targets in conjunction with other forces, on the other hand, is considered to be technically much more demanding.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) could formally promise to supply Gepard tanks at a meeting at the American air base in Ramstein on Tuesday. Lambrecht’s speech in Ramstein is eagerly awaited. At the invitation of the United States, representatives from around 40 countries want to discuss the Ukraine war there. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arranged the meeting.
Traffic light application for arms deliveries
Meanwhile, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warned against concentrating the Ukraine debate on military aspects. The Bundestag’s application from the traffic light coalition will therefore, unlike the Union’s application, not only deal with arms deliveries, the SPD politician announced on ARD. “I think the discussion of the last few days has a massive, militaristic bias.” Mützenich points out that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned of a third world war. Chancellor Olaf Scholz also emphasized in all aid commitments for Ukraine that an escalation must be prevented. He accuses the CDU chairman Friedrich Merz of not being a “reliable opposition” in times of war and peace.
In the ten-page draft of the traffic light coalition published on Tuesday entitled “Defend peace and freedom in Europe – comprehensive support for Ukraine”, the SPD, Greens and FDP factions are relying on providing Ukraine with heavy weapons via a so-called ring swap with Eastern European countries . In addition, further tough sanctions against Russia up to an end to gas imports and a subsequent exclusion of further Russian banks from the international payment information system Swift are being called for.
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group had previously submitted a motion for a resolution on the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine. It also calls for the surrender of heavy weapons from “available stocks” of the Bundeswehr. The traffic light application now states that the delivery of the necessary equipment to Ukraine should be continued and “where possible” accelerated, including for heavy weapons and complex systems. Germany’s ability to defend the alliance should not be jeopardized. The government should examine “whether further weapons can be handed over and actively approach other countries to offer them a ring exchange”. In such a case, Eastern European countries that hand over equipment to Ukraine should be supplied or paid for replacement material.
Training Ukrainian soldiers in Germany
The traffic light factions also support the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Germany or on NATO territory. In addition, equipment gaps in the Bundeswehr must be closed as quickly as possible. That is why the adoption of the special fund for the Bundeswehr with 100 billion euros is so important.