Order directly from producers
Germany wants to deliver more weapons to Ukraine
03/21/2022, 1:58 p.m
As far as new arms deliveries to Ukraine are concerned, the federal government is keeping a low profile. But they should exist, as a spokesman now confirms. However, these should obviously not come from their own stocks, but should be ordered from the manufacturers.
According to the government spokesman, Germany will deliver more weapons to Ukraine. The deliveries would be based on what Germany had already delivered, said Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. Previously, these were bazookas and anti-aircraft missiles. He referred to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, who said that the appropriate weapons could be ordered directly from armaments companies.
Lambrecht had stated that no further material could be supplied from Bundeswehr stocks. The government spokesman did not say how much money the federal government intends to spend on such arms purchases for Ukraine. A spokeswoman for the Federal Foreign Office pointed out that the EU states also want to double the funds for the procurement of weapons for Ukraine from 500 million to one billion euros.
Lambrecht recently justified the federal government’s secrecy about arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We don’t talk about it publicly,” said the SPD politician on Sunday evening on the ARD program “Anne Will”. Departure dates and routes were announced for the first deliveries. This put the lives of those involved in the transport at risk. “And for that reason we will not speak publicly about the number of weapons, nor when they will be delivered, nor by what means. Because we want the weapons to get to where they are urgently needed.”
Acquired 500 Anti-Aircraft Missiles
Ukrainian government circles had previously said on Sunday that Ukraine had received 500 Strela anti-aircraft missiles from Germany. Originally there was talk of up to 2700, but the Federal Security Council still had to deal with the delivery. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defense said that due to “operational and security aspects” no information on specific weapon systems could be given. Deliveries of various military equipment to support the Ukrainian armed forces have been promised and have already arrived, and more will be added if possible.
At the same time, Lambrecht announced a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Inspector General Eberhard Zorn on Wednesday about the 100 billion euro program to strengthen the troops. It was moved from Monday to Wednesday because of an EU ministerial meeting.