Olaf Scholz promised Ukraine to finance direct arms deliveries from German industry. Ukraine chose armaments from a list of offers that would be financed by the federal government. As before, these include anti-tank weapons, anti-aircraft equipment, ammunition “and also anything that can be used in an artillery battle”. But Scholz did not speak of artillery pieces themselves.

What else does the federal government want to do?

NATO partners who deliver weapons of Soviet design to Ukraine should receive compensation from Germany. It is important that the weapons are immediately usable and available. Since most of the Ukrainian army still fights with weapons from Soviet times, these are considered the easiest for the soldiers to use – without extensive training. These weapons are mainly available in Eastern European countries. The Czech Republic is said to have already delivered tanks. With German consent, Estonia supplied artillery pieces originally from GDR stocks.

Will the delivery of more modern heavy weapons also be supported?

Scholz hinted at a possible involvement in the supply of artillery from the United States or the Netherlands to Ukraine. It could be about providing ammunition or training. The US announced the delivery of heavy artillery pieces last week. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte promised to supply heavy weapons to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday.

Are weapons from Bundeswehr stocks still being delivered?

Barely. “Here we now have to recognize that the possibilities we have are reaching their limits,” says Scholz. The background is that the Bundeswehr claims its heavy weapons for itself in order to be able to guarantee the defense of the country and the alliance. This applies, for example, to the Marder infantry fighting vehicle or the Panzerhaubitze 2000, a heavy artillery piece.

“In order to operate the armed forces and also to train follow-up forces, we need the weapon systems,” said Deputy Inspector General Markus Laubenthal in the joint morning program of ARD and ZDF. The tank of the Marder type is also still needed for the various obligations in the NATO associations, among others. In addition, the marten is a combat system that must be used in its entirety. The training could be shortened, “but it’s still a matter of weeks.” In addition, the device must be prepared.

Could the Ukrainians handle Leopard and Marder tanks?

There are different statements about this. The German side refers to extensive training. Ukraine does not accept this and wants training and commitments now if possible, in order to have firepower and protected movement on the battlefield in a few months. It is about soldiers of the Panzertruppe who could transfer their knowledge to the new device. What remains: Spare parts and maintenance work are required to operate the tanks.

Will Ukraine settle for the Chancellor’s promises?

It doesn’t look like it. The Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk criticized the announcements as insufficient. In February, he submitted a wish list to the federal government that included almost every heavy weapon system imaginable – from warships to battle tanks to combat aircraft. He continues to urge Germany to deliver heavy weapons directly. President Selenskyj himself has not yet commented on the latest Scholz statement.

What are the arguments against the delivery of heavy weapons?

Probably the most important security policy argument is the fear that Germany and NATO could become warring parties. This concern has been voiced several times, leading to warnings that such a conflict could escalate into nuclear war. With the argument that Germany should not be allowed to become a party to the war, the chancellor has so far justified the fact that only such armaments go to Ukraine for whose use no German soldiers have to be sent to the war country.

What about delivery?

Arms-sales advocates warn that after a victory in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin could also attack other states in the neighborhood, including Moldova and the Baltic states – and thus NATO countries. From this follows the logic that Ukraine is fighting with the resistance against the Russian attack “also for us”. Your right to self-defense is fully recognized. “But you have to fight for freedom and human rights, you don’t get them for free,” argues FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann.

What is the status of the discussion in the traffic light coalition?

The Greens and the FDP have spoken out in favor of the delivery of heavy weapons. Spokesmen here are Anton Hofreiter and Strack-Zimmermann. The SPD is divided. Left-wing politicians have spoken out against it. The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth (SPD), is one of the supporters. The CDU opposition is also in favor of the delivery and is threatening to submit a corresponding application to the Bundestag next week.

Where does the money for the armaments deliveries of German industry come from?

Two weeks ago, Scholz filled the pot of money for armaments aid abroad from 225 million to two billion euros this year. A large part of this is earmarked for Ukraine.

What is meant by heavy weapons?

There is no clear-cut boundary between light and heavy weapons in everyday language. The yardstick could be the diameter of the ammunition (“calibre”), which is important for the effect, or the question of whether the weapon can still be carried on the body (“bazooka”) or at least on a chassis (“artillery piece”). must be mounted. More precise definitions became necessary when, after a war, the defeated state was forbidden to rearmament or when alliances of states agreed on arms control.

In 1990, the CFE Treaty (Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe) set upper limits for the number of heavy weapon systems and named five categories: main battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, artillery, combat aircraft and combat helicopters. Although not included here, warships can also be counted in this category.

What has Germany delivered to Ukraine so far?

The federal government is now silent about the arms deliveries to Ukraine. Even parliamentarians can only find out about it from the secret service of the Bundestag and have to keep their findings to themselves.

In the first days of the war it was different. That is why it is known that Germany has supplied Ukraine with anti-aircraft missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, protective vests, helmets, night vision goggles and armored vehicles. The approximate volume of deliveries is also known. According to the Economics Ministry, by the end of March the federal government had approved arms deliveries to Ukraine worth 186 million euros.

Who decides on arms exports?

Not just the chancellor. The export of armaments must be approved by the federal government. As a rule, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection decides on applications for the export of war weapons in agreement with the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Defence. The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control is responsible for other armaments.

If the departments involved have different opinions or in particularly important cases, the Federal Security Council decides on export licenses. The Federal Security Council is a committee of the Federal Cabinet. In addition to the Federal Chancellor and the Head of the Federal Chancellery, permanent members include the Federal Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, the Interior, Justice, Defence, Economics and Energy and Economic Cooperation and Development. The meetings, chaired by the Federal Chancellor, are secret.

What are the allies delivering?

“We deliver weapons that everyone else also delivers,” says Scholz. The problem with this statement is that there is obviously no longer a unified NATO line. According to reports, the Czech Republic is said to have launched several dozen Soviet-designed T-72 tanks and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles. The United States announced last week that it would quickly deliver 11 Russian-design Mi-17 helicopters, 200 M113 armored personnel carriers and 18 155-millimeter field howitzers with 40,000 artillery shells to Ukraine – all of which can be classified as heavy weapons . The Netherlands, Belgium and Canada also want to supply more heavy weapons to Ukraine.

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