BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – From the point of view of Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens), the federal government’s decision to deliver Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine was made too late. “Yes, with the decision to now deliver Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks, we are doing what we can at the moment. A bit too late, but at least it has happened now,” said the economics minister to the weekly newspaper “Die time” also with a view to future similar decisions.
“Time is of the essence,” said Habeck. “Everyone is expecting a terrible Russian offensive. Russia has already stepped up the attacks in recent weeks.” Germany and its partners would do a great deal to support Ukraine. “We’ve come a long way from ‘We’re not delivering any weapons to Ukraine’ to the promise of Leopard 2 tanks. So a lot has happened in less than a year.”
Habeck admitted that “from the point of view of a nation like Ukraine, which is fighting for its freedom with unspeakable courage and at sacrifices that we can hardly imagine,” it is incomprehensible that not everything that is available is being delivered. From the point of view of those countries that want Ukraine to be victorious, there is a “second logic” in that they are not allowed to become a party to the war themselves. “That’s a limit that we have to be careful about.”
With a view to the refusal to supply ammunition to Ukraine, Habeck criticized Switzerland. “Some countries still have ammunition but are reluctant to supply it to Ukraine for historical reasons,” he said. “We are in talks with Switzerland, and I have to say it so clearly: I cannot understand why Switzerland is not providing cheetah ammunition.”
According to the Defense Ministry, Germany has delivered 32 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine since the summer, with five more to follow by the end of February. However, the ammunition for this is scarce, also because Switzerland blocks the transfer of cheetah ammunition with reference to its neutrality./hrz/DP/mis