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Bundeswehr soldiers training with a "Fuchs" armored transport vehicle (archive photo)
Photo: Martin Schutt / picture alliance / dpa
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has rejected the delivery of Fuchs armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, citing Germany's own security interests.
»We support Ukraine with everything that is possible and responsible.
But we have to ensure Germany's ability to defend itself," the SPD minister told the dpa news agency and responded to demands from the Union.
Lambrecht went on to explain: "It is therefore irresponsible to want to plunder the Bundeswehr, especially in these times, and to want to ignore the military advice of the Inspector General."
Inspector General sees no leeway
Inspector General Eberhard Zorn - Germany's highest-ranking soldier - had previously stated that he saw no leeway for leaving the tanks to Ukraine.
The Union faction wants to demand a short-term delivery of 200 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine with a decision by the Bundestag on Thursday.
The parliamentary group also refers to a decision taken jointly with the traffic light coalition in the Bundestag at the end of April to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine.
»For the Ukrainian army, it is about the rapid delivery of reliable material that can be used immediately on the front line.
Such material is in the inventory of the Bundeswehr and is to be withdrawn from use by the Bundeswehr: the Fuchs armored transport vehicle," the application says.
kfr/dpa
