Enlarge image
Marder tanks in an exercise
Photo: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert / picture alliance / dpa
After long debates in the traffic light coalition, the time has now come: Germany will increase its arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Specifically, the Ukrainian troops are to be supported with up to 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles and a Patriot anti-aircraft battery.
The first deliveries could take place as early as this quarter.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden announced the move in a joint press statement.
The US, for its part, wants to equip Ukraine with Bradley tanks.
France also announced that it would deliver AMX-10 RC reconnaissance tanks.
What are the reactions to the announcements?
The overview
So far, Scholz had refused further deliveries on the grounds that Germany would not go it alone.
The Financial Times
describes the decision to deliver more tanks
as a "
significant change on the part of Chancellor Olaf Scholz
. "
The
»world«
, on the other hand, sees the time of the decision as
»a symbol for Olaf Scholz’s half-hearted help to Ukraine«
.
As early as mid-April, Rheinmetall had an official offer to export the 100 Marder tanks
submitted.
This application then remained in the Chancellery for a long time.
'The marathon approving the Marder tanks
is a symbol of the Chancellor's systematic hesitation in providing arms aid to Ukraine.«
Ukraine had been asking for Western armored personnel carriers and main battle tanks for months.
According to SPIEGEL information, Germany, France and the USA had been exploring how Ukraine could be equipped more effectively since shortly before Christmas.
According to information from security circles, it quickly became clear that all three nations would supply tanks.
In Berlin it was emphasized that none of the partners had been pushed, instead there was quick agreement that a further step had to be taken with the arms deliveries.
However, some apparently have the impression that Germany is primarily responding to international pressure.
The fact that the federal government is finally delivering tanks to Ukraine is good, explains CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen on Twitter.
»But the image that German foreign policy paints cannot satisfy us.
No sign of leadership.
Once again, action is only taken when pressure is applied & when there is no other way.«
The
»Märkische Oderzeitung«
also comments that there have been a number of signs for some time that the USA has given the Germans the freedom to decide.
'So now - months after successful Ukrainian counter-offensives have necessitated a change in weapon support - the time has come.
It is hard to imagine that it was US President Joe Biden who delayed the whole thing.
«
"
Olaf Scholz is certainly not a tank chancellor,
" says the
"Passauer Neue Presse"
.
“If it's military, then more like trench-government.
Despite all the quite extensive arms aid for the Ukraine, the federal government has always attached great importance to staying under cover.«
The
»FAZ«
, on the other hand, sees the arms deliveries as a signal »that the West is serious about containing
the Russian expansion policy.
« It goes on to say: »The increase in combat value is noticeable, but it happens gradually.
Since it is still a matter of preventing the war from spreading to NATO, this has proven its worth.
It is correct that the federal government is also announcing a “qualitatively new step”.
She should do it in unison with the allies.”
The FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann also commented positively on the decision.
The delivery of the Marder tanks is a
"great relief"
.
She continued on Twitter: "It's very late, but not too late.
Our commitment has worked.« At the same time, however, the FDP politician is demanding further deliveries: »We are not giving up.
After the marten comes the leopard.”
The CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter has a similar opinion: "The decision is too late, but it's the right one, because the armored personnel carriers will save lives, so I'm very happy."
Nevertheless, Ukraine also needs Leopard tanks in the long term.
"Western main battle tanks can turn the tide," writes Kiesewetter.
The sooner Leopard tanks are in Ukraine, the sooner the country will "regain full sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The Greens European politician Anton Hofreiter is also demanding the delivery of battle tanks.
"I would like, as the main manufacturing country of Leopard 2, that we start a European initiative for the delivery of Leopard 2 and see together with Europe what we can deliver to Ukraine so that they can liberate the occupied territories," said Hofreiter on ARD - »Morning magazine«.
so-called
