Germany will deliver even more weapons to Ukraine. The German Economy Ministry has approved the delivery of 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles of the “Strela” type, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) agency learned on Thursday from ministerial circles. These are Soviet-made weapons from the former stockpile of the GDR’s National People’s Army.
Germany has changed course on the war in Ukraine
Germany had earlier changed course on the Ukrainian crisis and equipped the armed forces of the Russia-attacked country with heavy weapons. According to dpa news agency, the Defense Ministry in Germany had been analyzing for several days whether and what additional weapons could be given to Ukraine. The supplies now approved by the Economy Ministry represent additional weapons of a different kind.
On Saturday, the German government decided to deliver 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles from Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine as soon as possible. On Wednesday, German government sources reported that the “Stingers” and anti-tank missiles have already been handed over to Ukraine.
In addition, NATO partners, the Netherlands and Estonia, have received permission to deliver weapons to Ukraine. They come from German production or from East German stocks.
Scholz: We stand by Ukraine
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order.” – Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) declared on Saturday. “In this situation it is our duty to support Ukraine as best we can in its defense against Vladimir Putin’s invading army. Germany stands side by side with Ukraine.”
However, Scholz again ruled out a military deployment of the Bundeswehr and NATO in Ukraine on Wednesday. “We will not intervene militarily,” he said during his inaugural visit to Israel. “That would be wrong in this situation.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (both Greens) said: “After Russia’s shameless attack, Ukraine must be able to defend itself. It has an inalienable right to self-defense. That is why the German government also supports Ukraine in equipping it with urgently needed materials.”
Russia criticizes German arms supplies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskiy on Saturday expressed satisfaction with the announced delivery of German weapons. “Germany has just announced the delivery of anti-tank grenade launchers and Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Keep it up, Chancellor Olaf Scholz.” – Selenskyj wrote on Twitter.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has already criticized the German government’s decision to send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to the site of the conflict. “With this decision, Germany is already awakening not only the ghosts of the Cold War, but already those of the ‘hot’ war,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “Weapons are being sent from German soil against Russian soldiers.” In this context, Chancellor Scholz’s words at a meeting with Putin in Moscow about reconciliation between Germans and Russians after World War II were “particularly cynical.”
source: dpa, rnd, insidegermany.co