GDR howitzers for Ukraine?

Scholz and Baerbock are suddenly faced with a new dilemma

Created: 2022-01-25 13:02

By: Stephanie Munk

Russia has concentrated troops with tanks and other heavy weapons in the border area with Ukraine.

Ukraine is demanding arms supplies for defense.

© Uncredited/AP/dpa

No to arms deliveries: That is the motto of Scholz and Baerbock in the Ukraine conflict with Russia.

But some East German howitzers are now putting the government in a bind.

Berlin/Tallinn - No weapons to Ukraine due to Germany's special role in history: the Scholz government has remained true to this line in the Ukraine conflict so far. Ukraine had repeatedly requested arms deliveries from Germany in order to be able to defend itself against the overpowering opponent Russia* in the event of an attack.

But other EU countries are definitely delivering weapons to Ukraine * - and such a delivery from a third country is now threatening Chancellor Olaf Scholz * (SPD) and Foreign Minister Baerbock *.

Specifically, it's about howitzers: artillery pieces with a range of 15 kilometers and a caliber of 122 millimeters, which originally come from the GDR.

According to

, they were once part of

the equipment of the National People's Army of the GDR, after reunification they came into the possession of the federal government, which finally sold them to Finland in the 1990s.

Ukraine conflict: Germany must agree to arms delivery

And this is the dilemma Germany now faces: the Scholz government must agree to the delivery of GDR howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine, just like Finland. Because both were previous owners of the guns. The federal government has received a corresponding request from Estonia, government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann confirmed to the

on Monday. "So far, no decision has been made," she said, emphasizing: "In this case, it's not about German arms deliveries, but arms deliveries from Estonia."

In any case, the federal government has not changed its attitude towards arms deliveries * and in particular the delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine, said the government spokeswoman.

“It does not authorize the delivery of lethal weapons of war in view of the conflict in Ukraine.

And of course she sees that allies have a different position and handle it differently.” Translated: The government is apparently in a quandary.

Or, depending on the case, in front of a back door that's ajar.

Weapons to Ukraine?

Scholz government is preparing other "measures".

When asked whether Ukraine could count on German weapons in the event of a Russian attack, the deputy government

said, according to

, that the federal government wanted to prevent exactly such an escalation.

"And in the event that there is a Russian intervention or some kind of incursion into Ukrainian territory, the federal government is preparing a series of measures together with its ally, which we are not going to discuss in detail here."

Ukraine reacts with incomprehension to Scholz' and Barbock's attitude

The federal government's categorical no to arms deliveries is met with incomprehension in Ukraine - and the tone is becoming sharper.

"Germany's current statements are disappointing," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter at the weekend.

They do not correspond to the current security situation.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin* is even encouraged to launch new attacks on his country.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has also reiterated his demand for German arms deliveries.

In view of the massive Russian troop deployment on the border with his country, the diplomat spoke on Tuesday in the

of the "greatest danger since the Second World War".

As a non-NATO member, Ukraine is “alone” in the conflict.

He therefore hopes “that the Germans will be shaken up”.