Enlarge image
Tank Battalion 393 in Bad Frankenhausen: Politics should strengthen industry
Photo: ari / IMAGO
The operational readiness of the Bundeswehr will be further weakened by the expected delivery of Leopard main battle tanks from Germany to Ukraine.
This is the view of the chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner.
The interest group represents soldiers and reservists, for example.
The tank delivery was "good for the Ukraine on the one hand, bad for the Bundeswehr's operational readiness on the other hand," said Wüstner in the ZDF "Morgenmagazin".
One should not believe that the Ukraine war will be over in two or three months.
With regard to arms deliveries, it will not stop with the tanks already delivered and promised by Germany.
Read here: A turning point in the Bundeswehr: Heerjemine – how bad the troops really are
"If we not only want to support Ukraine, but also want to be able to defend ourselves again," Wüstner demanded that politicians should strengthen industry so that the necessary equipment would be available in the coming years.
"In the last few months it has been said that we are only partially ready to defend ourselves - if at all," said Wüstner.
»The truth is: Since February we have continued to give away weapon equipment and ammunition.
We are still in free fall, we still have no turning point in terms of our own defense capability.« Politicians not only bear responsibility for supporting Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression, but also for national and alliance defense, said Wüstner.
Germany will deliver Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine.
According to SPIEGEL information, at least one Leopard 2A6 company is involved.
Other allies, including from Scandinavia, also want to deliver Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine.
The federal government wants to grant permission to export such tanks that are owned by other states such as Poland.
ptz/dpa
