Berlin approves bazookas, howitzers and vehicles
AUrged by Ukraine and many NATO partners, the German government is giving up its refusal to supply arms to Ukraine. On Saturday, the Netherlands approved the delivery of 400 German-made bazookas. That leads the FAS from the federal government.
According to FAS information, Berlin has also given Estonia permission to supply Ukraine with self-propelled howitzers that still come from the stocks of the GDR’s National People’s Army. The Federal Republic had initially sold the howitzers to Finland in the 1990s. The federal government had already confirmed in January that there was a request from Estonia that was being examined.
“Need a targeted and functional restriction of SWIFT”
In addition, the export of 14 special armored vehicles for Ukraine was approved on Saturday. The vehicles are used for personal protection, if necessary also for evacuation purposes. They are to be handed over to a British agency. In addition, up to 10,000 tons of fuel are to be delivered to Ukraine via Poland. Further support services are currently being examined. In Berlin there was talk of a “great dynamic” early on Saturday evening.
The procedure was coordinated on Saturday between the Federal Chancellery, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Defense.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck commented on the Federal Government’s change of course: “After Russia’s shameless attack, Ukraine must be able to defend itself. She has an inalienable right to self-defense.” Baerbock and Habeck said: “At the same time, we are working flat out on how the collateral damage of a SWIFT disconnect can be limited in such a way that it affects the right people. What we need is a targeted and functional restriction of SWIFT.”