President Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The parties discussed military and financial assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.
The head of state told about it in Twitter.
"Held a telephone conversation with Olaf Scholz. Noted that all the perpetrators of war crimes should be identified and punished. Discussed anti-Russian sanctions, defense and financial support for Ukraine," - wrote Zelensky.
Had a phone conversation with @OlafScholz. We emphasized that all perpetrators of war crimes must be identified and punished. We also discussed anti-Russian sanctions, defense and financial support for Ukraine.
As a reminder, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that those guilty of killing civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha were guilty of war crimes and should be brought to justice.
Scholz also said that the Bundeswehr was helping Ukraine with weapons from its own stocks. He assured that Berlin would continue to support Kyiv.
Meanwhile, it became known that Ukraine intends to buy German Marder infantry fighting vehicles directly from the manufacturer Rheinmetall. This was reported by Bild.
According to the newspaper, the company plans to deliver 35 armored vehicles by the end of the year.
It is also reported that Rheinmetall originally offered 100 decommissioned Marder armored vehicles, which had been parked at the company's site for years. Since they need to be repaired first, the company proposed an exchange: the Bundeswehr would immediately deliver ready-to-use BMPs to Ukraine and then receive the repaired ones from Rheinmetall.
The German Defense Ministry refused, stating that the Bundeswehr itself needs armored vehicles both on the eastern flank of NATO (141 Marder) and for training and exercises (about 100 Marder).
However, according to Bild, the Defense Ministry has not even inspected the BMPs to assess their condition and the need for repairs and maintenance.
Ukrainian Ambassador Andrei Melnik criticized such behavior of the ministry: "If it is true that the ministry has not inspected them yet, it is a scandal. Russia's war of annihilation against Ukrainian civilians has been raging for 45 days, but Berlin is still in no hurry."
