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Zelenskyj distributes lists of gun requests

2023-02-11T06:22:30.861Z


Time is running out for Ukraine, experts say a Russian military offensive is imminent. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President is distributing weapon requirement lists to the EU heads of state.


Time is running out for Ukraine, experts say a Russian military offensive is imminent.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President is distributing lists of weapons requirements to the EU heads of state.

Brussels - After months of hesitation, Germany decided in January to deliver Leopard 2 main battle tanks from Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine during the Ukraine war.

The decision was not easy, also because of Germany's history.

Now the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is apparently using intelligence information to persuade the Europeans to make additional arms deliveries.

According to a senior EU official, Zelenskyy handed over detailed lists of “weapon requests” to EU heads of state and government at the EU summit in Brussels on Friday.

Zelenskyy's weapons "wish lists": Ukrainian President increases pressure on individual states

The lists are said to be tailored to each Member State's stock levels.

This should increase the pressure on the individual states to deliver more for defense in the war against Russia.

Ukrainians know better than heads of state what is in the camps, added the EU official.

"It's pretty clever what the Ukrainians are doing.

[...] They know exactly what they need and they know what to ask.” When asked where the Ukrainians got the information from, the official said: “They are informed, they have contacts.” Given such Intelligence service skills, it is no wonder that they can defend themselves against Russia.

Weapons list from Selenskyj: Germany and France get nothing

From German government circles it was said on Friday in Berlin that the German delegation had not received a list from Selenskyj.

For example, Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas confirmed receipt.

It is conceivable that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron did not receive a list because they had already exchanged views with Selenskyj in Paris on Tuesday evening.

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Volodymyr Selenskyj (M) on Thursday as a guest at the EU summit in Brussels.

© Virginia Mayo/AP/dpa

Military experts assume that a Russian offensive is imminent as soon as measures such as partial mobilization, personnel changes in the Russian military leadership and the transition to the war economy take effect.

The window of opportunity for Ukraine is closing, so rapid arms deliveries would be crucial.

It is currently the declared goal of the federal government, together with partner countries, to quickly provide Kiev with two battalions with a total of around 60 Leopard tanks.

Discussion about fighter jet deliveries: Slovakia is examining possibilities

Immediately after the Leopard deliveries were promised, the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk demanded fighter jets and submarines from the allies.

Experts assume that the demand for submarines makes no military sense, Ukraine does not maintain a single submarine itself and the delivery of such war equipment would be impossible in principle - due to the closed sea routes to the Black Sea.

However, fighter jets could help Ukraine militarily.

According to the dpa source from EU circles, the discussion about fighter jet deliveries said that this was something that could be seen coming.

Slovakia is one of the countries examining this.

The government there is hoping for support from the EU money pot, which is already being used to finance arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The topic is currently being discussed in smaller groups.

Fighter jets for Ukraine: Chancellor Scholz is reluctant

Scholz had previously evaded the question of possible movement in the question of fighter jet deliveries at a press conference on Friday night.

"It wasn't a topic of conversation here," he said.

On the other hand, several other delegations confirmed at the request of the German Press Agency that the Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger had addressed the possibility of delivering fighter jets to Ukraine in a large group.

French President Emmanuel Macron did not fundamentally rule out fighter jet deliveries after the talks.

However, this would “definitely not be possible in the coming weeks,” he said.

"London, Paris, Brussels - I've been talking everywhere these days about how we can strengthen our soldiers," said the Ukrainian President in a video message on Friday evening.

"There are very important agreements and we have received good signals." This applies to longer-range missiles and tanks.

"But we still have to work on the hoped-for delivery of combat aircraft as the next level of cooperation," says Zelenskyj.

(bme/dpa).

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-02-11

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