Germany: Kiev should stop criticism over arms export ban
3 Min Read
A German diplomat says Ukraine should show "a little bit of restraint" and stop criticizing Germany for not agreeing to supply Kiev with lethal weapons.
-
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the head of the German Parliament's Defense Committee.
The head of the German Parliament's Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, warned Ukraine on Saturday that it should stop throwing around criticism about what it sees as Berlin's "unfair" refusal to supply it with weapons.
"I sympathize with Ukrainian representatives in Kyiv for being on edge in the face of the Russian army threat. But I have no sympathy for constant verbal gaffes of some Ukrainian voices," Strack-Zimmermann told the DPA news agency.
Ukraine has repeatedly criticized Germany for denying it weapons, including modern air defense systems and warships, and for blocking lethal arms exports by NATO allies.
Germany insists that it does not allow weapon exports to war zones.
Strack-Zimmermann said Ukraine should not "confuse friends and foes" in the heat of the moment and urged Kyiv to exercise "a little bit of restraint."
She estimated that Germany had provided Ukraine with almost 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in non-lethal aid since 2014.
Germany facing Western pressure
Germany's new government is facing pressure to get tough on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine.
On January 22, Kay-Achim Schonbach, the head of Germany's Navy, had said the idea that Western allegations about Russia planning to invade Ukraine were "nonsense", adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin deserved respect, in comments at a think-tank meeting in New Delhi on Friday.
Later on Saturday, Schonbach submitted his resignation.
In the same context, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba summoned the German Ambassador and accused Germany of "encouraging" Putin to attack Ukraine.
For his part, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of "high costs" should Russia "attack" Ukraine, in an interview with the Sueddeutsche newspaper.
However, he also called for "wisdom" in considering sanctions on Russia and "the consequences they would have for us."
Arming Ukraine would inflame tensions
The contention between Germany and Western allies is over Berlin's refusal to send weapons to Ukraine.
The United States, Britain, and Baltic states have already agreed to send weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.
Scholz's government sees that arming Ukraine would only inflame tensions, but Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba argued that Germany's stance does not match "the current security situation" and urged Berlin to "stop undermining unity" among Kiev's allies.
