Marder BMP – Greece is ready to abandon armored vehicles on the territory of Ukraine
As part of the “ring exchange” of equipment, Germany promised to supply Greece with 40 modern Marder BMPs, so that, in due course, it would hand over to Ukraine infantry fighting vehicles of an older model.
As reported in the publication, such a number of Marder armored personnel carriers Berlin undertook to deliver to Ukraine by the end of March. At the same time, until recently the Minister of Defense of Germany, Christine Lambrecht, categorically excluded the transfer of BMPs from the Bundeswehr’s reserves, referring to the fact that Germany itself needs them.
It is also noted that according to the contract, the Rheinmetall arms concern must send the Marder BMP to Greece, not to Ukraine. Therefore, the question arises whether Germany can immediately organize the supply of machines to the two countries
However, Athens said that it is ready to start with the supply of German infantry fighting vehicles if Berlin plans to send them to Kyiv first. As explained by the Minister of Defense of Greece, Nikos Panaiotopoulos, as part of the “ring exchange” of equipment from Germany, Greece transferred to Ukraine even more vehicles than stipulated in the terms of the contract – 20 instead of 14.
Now Greece, according to the head of the Ministry of Defense, can refuse German BMPs on the market of Ukraine, since the beginning of the war, Greece has taken a “clear position on helping the Ukrainian people.”