Weapons for Ukraine: Kiesewetter wants to buy back Cheetah tanks from Qatar

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Anti-aircraft tank Gepard: "Proven in action"

Photo: Maurizio Gambarini / dpa

The CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter calls for the repurchase of Cheetah anti-aircraft tanks from Qatar for the benefit of the Ukraine.

"The Qatari Cheetah tanks are currently not needed there and are in operational condition, so I would think it would be a good idea to buy them back," Kiesewetter told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

"We should do anything that can contribute to Ukraine's victory."

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Roderich Kiesewetter: "We should do everything that can contribute to Ukraine's victory."

Photo: Leon Kuegeler / photothek / IMAGO

The Bundeswehr no longer uses Gepard tanks and has already delivered 30 of the tanks to Ukraine, which was under Russian attack.

"The cheetah has proven itself in action and was initially used very efficiently to combat ground targets," explained Kiesewetter and criticized the fact that Germany had not supplied enough ammunition for the tanks to the Ukraine.

Gepard tanks are armed with twin 35mm cannons made by Swiss armorers Oerlikon.

The manufacturer of weapons and ammunition now belongs to Rheinmetall.

Switzerland recently blocked the transfer of cheetah ammunition with reference to its neutrality.

"It is all the more important that Germany not only asks about more cheetahs in Qatar, but above all about ammunition," said Kiesewetter.

Without additional ammunition, more Cheetah tanks from Qatar would do nothing for Ukraine.

On Friday, the defense ministers of the western allies will meet at the Ramstein US air base in Rhineland-Palatinate to discuss further arms deliveries to the war zone.

asa/dpa