Germany cannot transfer heavy weapons used by the Bundeswehr at Ukraine's request because of the threat of Russian aggression against NATO. This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an interview with Spiegel.
Asked what prevents Germany from giving operational equipment from the Bundeswehr and then gradually replacing it, Scholz said, "The need to be able to always defend Alliance territory."
"This is a difficult compromise that we constantly have to go to with our partners. After all, the threat to NATO territory from Russia persists. We hear this in particular from our Baltic partners, who ask us to increase the presence of the Bundeswehr... NATO has set the goal that we must resist an attack within 12 days with our munitions and our equipment. So in the current threat situation, I will do my best not to forget that commitment," the chancellor said.
He believes the best option is to help Ukraine with ex-Soviet weapons that do not require training, and Berlin is negotiating for supplies with European countries that have stocks of them.
"We can gradually make up for the costs incurred by our partners as a result of these supplies with replacements from Germany, as in the case of Slovenia. In the medium term, we will help Ukraine improve its defense capabilities, including through Western weapons," he said.
Scholz also noted that the Bundeswehr's options for supplying additional weapons from its arsenal are largely exhausted.
"What can still be made available, we are definitely still delivering - anti-tank weapons, anti-tank mines and artillery ammunition. So in talks with the German industry, we made a list of military equipment that can be delivered quickly, and we discussed this with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. As before, defense weapons and mortars for artillery combat. We pay for these arms deliveries. Germany is providing a total of two billion euros, much of which will go directly to Ukraine," he said.
