The head of the Bundestag Defense Committee, Marie-Agness Struck-Zimmermann, advocates direct supplies of heavy weapons from Germany to Ukraine.

This was reported by Spiegel.

Struck-Zimmermann said that the exchange scheme with third countries, under which they supply weapons to Ukraine and Germany compensates them with more modern weapons, is not working properly.

"The idea of an exchange makes sense. But it's not going the way we imagined. Then we also have to have the courage to admit that it's not working the way we imagined, and we should, if necessary, deliver directly to Ukraine," she said. 

In early July, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in the Bundestag further arms deliveries to Ukraine as part of the exchange in the coming weeks.

Earlier, CDU Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter said that the government was offering Ukraine 20 Leopard 2 tanks, but deliveries would start from April 2023 at 1 per month, and from October 2023 at 3 per month.