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Main battle tank "Leopard" on the most modern construction stage (2 A7V) at a Bundeswehr exercise
Photo: Philipp Schulze / dpa
When it comes to upgrading the Ukrainian army, Germany likes to praise the so-called ring exchange procedure.
For example last Thursday.
Almost a little proud, Christine Lambrecht spoke up.
An exchange of tanks with the Czech Republic, the currently badly battered SPD defense minister enthused, is "a very good example of how we can help Ukraine quickly and easily against Russian aggression."
Lambrecht described the arms deal itself in an impressively brief manner: "The Czech Republic is supplying heavy weapons, we are helping to close the gaps with heavy weapons from German industrial stocks," she explained.
As a result of the manoeuvre, which is now known almost worldwide under the German term ring exchange, the Czech Republic can now hand over its own Russian-made tanks to the Ukraine, in return for which the NATO partner receives “Leopard” weapon systems from Germany free of charge.
In the case of the Czech Republic, the laboriously worked out idea has worked out.
For political reasons, the German government has been reluctant to deliver heavy battle tanks to Ukraine.
Chancellor Scholz repeatedly emphasizes that the USA and France have not yet delivered any battle tanks.
However, as a result of the exchange of rings with the eastern NATO partners, at least old Russian tanks are coming to the front, which the Ukrainians can also operate.
However, the much-vaunted procedure does not work in every case.
According to SPIEGEL information, the ring exchange talks between Germany and Poland, Germany's direct neighbors, are hopelessly deadlocked.
Defense Minister Lambrecht therefore had to admit last Monday in a confidential round of coalition politicians that she had little hope of reaching an agreement with Warsaw.
Poland, which was directly affected by the crisis as a neighbor of Ukraine, behaved in an exemplary manner.
Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Warsaw handed over almost all of its 240 Russian-made tanks to the neighboring country, as the Ukrainian army is trained on these models.
At that time, according to Polish government circles, they relied on the German promise to fill the gaps that had arisen with modern tanks.
But what sounds simple in theory turned out to be more than complicated in reality.
Because unlike the Czech Republic, Poland does not want to be satisfied with older German tanks when it comes to replacing tanks.
Consequently, in the talks with Germany, it was demanded that the Polish tank stocks, which had now been emptied by the transfer to the Ukraine, had to be replaced by the latest type of German "Leopard" tanks, anything else would endanger Poland's ability to defend itself.
The Bundeswehr itself is blank
For the Germans, it quickly became clear that such a deal could not be accepted.
The Bundeswehr itself does not yet have the latest "Leopard" models, only a small part of the German Panzer Army is currently being upgraded by industry.
As a result, the responsible state secretary from the military department could not make any promises during talks with Poland and had to end the negotiations without success.
What started as a symbol of cooperation is now turning into an ugly argument.
"The Germans made promises to strengthen our defense capabilities, but unfortunately none of these have been implemented," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told SPIEGEL.
For a foreign minister, Szynkowski vel Sek speaks rather undiplomatically about Berlin.
So Warsaw feels deceived.
"Germany has promised to replenish our stocks, but has done nothing," said the Deputy Foreign Minister literally.
For the federal government, the Zoff with Warsaw is annoying.
Within NATO, Poland is considered an essential partner when it comes to Ukraine.
On the one hand, the immediate neighbor not only took in most of the refugees from the war zone.
Even more important, however, is the hub function of the NATO partner, since almost all western arms deliveries, but also the transport of urgently needed humanitarian aid, are smuggled through Poland.
From the German point of view, however, the problem can hardly be solved.
From the defense department it was said that a quick delivery of "Leopard" tanks at the latest construction stage was simply not possible.
However, attempts to swear the partners from Poland to a compromise have failed.
For example, it was offered that Poland would initially receive somewhat older "Leopard" models, which would then be successively modernized or replaced with new systems in the coming years.
It remains to be seen whether the explanations will catch on.
Because criticism is already coming from their own coalition.
"We passed a motion for arms deliveries with a large majority in the Bundestag, which must now be implemented," warns Green Party politician Tony Hofreiter.
"It is crucial that the exchange of rings with Poland is now implemented, because Warsaw has already done a lot to support Ukraine," he demands.