>Boris Pistorius has barely taken office as the new Minister of Defense, but this Friday he has a very important appointment coming up: the meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Ramstein. The meeting is to decide on further arms deliveries to Ukraine. Above all, Kiev is urging Germany to finally supply heavy weapons – including battle tanks.
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>Pistorius coordinated with his American counterpart shortly after being sworn into office. However, no decisions were made at the meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the SPD politician told ZDF’s heute journal. “Those will be made elsewhere.”
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>However, he said, all issues of transatlantic relations were discussed, and he also exchanged positions with Austin regarding the tank issue.
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>Germany, he said, has done very well over the past 12 months “in that the big, important decisions in support of Ukraine were always made in transatlantic solidarity.” And he sees no reason why this should be any different now, when it comes to a highly armed, most offensively capable tank like the Leopard 2. A concerted approach is very important here.
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>”Alliance commitment just means that an alliance has to stand together and make decisions together and deliver together.”
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>On the German government’s approach to the tank issue, Pistorius said, “This is not a blockade, this is the path to a common goal.” He said it was a matter of keeping security in balance, preventing damage to Germany – and at the same time, “we have an alliance obligation.”
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>On possible battle tank deliveries, Pistorius said, “I’m pretty sure there will be a solution very soon.” He added that the German government was concerned “that we support Ukraine wherever we can.”
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>”Nobody rules out that Leopard 2 tanks can be delivered or that approval can be given to other European partners.”
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>But not all questions have been answered yet, he said, but that is currently happening. He hopes that an important decision can be announced this Friday in Ramstein.
It would be really great if the German government would figure out what they are trying to accomplish.
That doesn’t tell us anything, he makes it sound as if he’s in full agreement with Scholz’ idea that the USA needs to be part of MBT deliveries. On the other hand, he stresses that the west has a duty to help Ukraine.
Why not just announce that you will allow the export of leopards to Ukraine, but not announce you will send from your own stockpile? You can still sneak in 20 or 30 tanks without getting the blame?
4 comments
>Boris Pistorius has barely taken office as the new Minister of Defense, but this Friday he has a very important appointment coming up: the meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Ramstein. The meeting is to decide on further arms deliveries to Ukraine. Above all, Kiev is urging Germany to finally supply heavy weapons – including battle tanks.
>
>Pistorius coordinated with his American counterpart shortly after being sworn into office. However, no decisions were made at the meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the SPD politician told ZDF’s heute journal. “Those will be made elsewhere.”
>
>However, he said, all issues of transatlantic relations were discussed, and he also exchanged positions with Austin regarding the tank issue.
>
>Germany, he said, has done very well over the past 12 months “in that the big, important decisions in support of Ukraine were always made in transatlantic solidarity.” And he sees no reason why this should be any different now, when it comes to a highly armed, most offensively capable tank like the Leopard 2. A concerted approach is very important here.
>
>”Alliance commitment just means that an alliance has to stand together and make decisions together and deliver together.”
>
>On the German government’s approach to the tank issue, Pistorius said, “This is not a blockade, this is the path to a common goal.” He said it was a matter of keeping security in balance, preventing damage to Germany – and at the same time, “we have an alliance obligation.”
>
>On possible battle tank deliveries, Pistorius said, “I’m pretty sure there will be a solution very soon.” He added that the German government was concerned “that we support Ukraine wherever we can.”
>
>”Nobody rules out that Leopard 2 tanks can be delivered or that approval can be given to other European partners.”
>
>But not all questions have been answered yet, he said, but that is currently happening. He hopes that an important decision can be announced this Friday in Ramstein.
It would be really great if the German government would figure out what they are trying to accomplish.
That doesn’t tell us anything, he makes it sound as if he’s in full agreement with Scholz’ idea that the USA needs to be part of MBT deliveries. On the other hand, he stresses that the west has a duty to help Ukraine.
Why not just announce that you will allow the export of leopards to Ukraine, but not announce you will send from your own stockpile? You can still sneak in 20 or 30 tanks without getting the blame?