Germany plans to send Kiev $3bln worth of military aid
Berlin plans to give Kiev Marder infantry fighting vehicles, leopard 1 tanks, and reconnaissance drones, to name a few.
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A Ukrainian serviceman looks on and a local resident rides a bicycle while a broken tank is pulled to a truck near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Ukraine January 20, 2023.(Reuters)
According to Der Spiegel, the German government has decided to equip Ukraine with more weaponry worth 2.7 billion euros (almost $3 billion), which will be Berlin's greatest military support package to Kiev.
According to the article, the German Chancellor's office and other ministries agreed during covert discussions to give Ukraine "additional weapons worth about 2.7 billion euros" in the next weeks and months.
The publication revealed that Berlin intends to supply Ukraine with 20 Marder infantry combat vehicles, 30 Leopard 1 tanks, up to 200 reconnaissance drones, Gepard anti-aircraft vehicles, extra IRIS-T anti-aircraft missiles, artillery rounds, and transporters.
Der Spiegel described this shipment as Germany's largest armaments supply to Ukraine since the commencement of the war in February 2022.
The package is likely to be announced on Sunday during an event in Aachen, Germany, honoring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the Charlemagne Prize. The prize is given out every year for contributions to European unity.
German media announced in early May that Zelensky will visit Berlin on May 13 at the request of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to the T-Online news site, Ukraine was very displeased that details of Zelensky's visit were made public and was considering canceling the trip.
Yesterday, a new YouGov poll revealed that a majority of Germans opposed Ukraine joining NATO.
Read more: NATO says aiding Ukraine cost $165Bln in military funding since 2022
On March 13, the representative of the German army in parliament, Eva Hoegl, warned that the military "lacks everything", slamming the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for failing to fulfill his promise to replenish the Bundeswehr's arms stocks, which he handed over to Ukraine.
In December 2020, Hoegl announced, days before taking charge as commander of NATO's Rapid Reaction Force that the armed forces have crucial equipment deficiencies.
"Personal equipment such as helmets, backpacks, protective vests, as well as small and large equipment - from radios, ammunition, to tanks," adding then that "the Bundeswehr has too little of almost everything."
Read next: Germany supplies Ukraine with weapons its army doesn't possess
