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A German marten at the Rukla military base in Lithuania
Photo: STAFF / REUTERS
The dispute over the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine is moving.
The federal government has to deal with the request from the armaments company Rheinmetall to deliver 100 Marder armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.
A decision will be made "promptly", said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
The group is initially trying to obtain an export license for the vehicles in their current condition, with the aim of making them operational in the coming months.
The "Welt am Sonntag" had previously reported on the group's plans.
Rheinmetall did not want to comment on the process.
The Federal Security Council, chaired by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, must approve the export of the tanks.
In Germany there had recently been a debate about the delivery of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle.
After Ukraine demanded heavy weapon systems, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said that hardly any weapons or material could come from Germany, otherwise the country's defense capability would be endangered.
Scholz has so far refused the delivery of heavy weapons.
He also encountered resistance from representatives of the government factions.
The FDP, for example, submitted a motion at its party conference over the weekend to make heavy weapons available to Ukraine.
However, Ukraine is demanding weapons such as air defense systems, battle tanks and armored personnel carriers and heavy artillery from the federal government in order to be able to withstand the expected Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine.
According to Rheinmetall, the first tanks will be ready for action in a few weeks
The Marder armored personnel carriers are currently being phased out in the Bundeswehr and are gradually being replaced by the Puma – the hundred examples mentioned are currently with the manufacturer Rheinmetall.
Before delivery to Ukraine, they would have to be repaired - that would take time and would be too late for Ukraine.
However, the first 20 Marders could be delivered within six to eight weeks, Rheinmetall boss Armin Papperger told SPIEGEL - 50 more would be ready for use within five to six months (read more about this here).
Rheinmetall had previously requested the delivery of other main battle tanks to Ukraine.
This is the Leopard 1, as CEO Armin Papperger told the "Handelsblatt" - the predecessor of the Leopard 2 currently used in the Bundeswehr.
muk/Reuters
