Germany is examining what extra maintenance and ammunition its stock of ageing Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicles will need to be rendered fit for deployment by the Ukrainian military, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.
On the second day of a tour of the Baltic states, Baerbock addressed the growing chorus of criticism of Germany’s apparent foot-dragging on delivering the weaponry Kyiv says it needs to fend off Russian attack.
“There are no taboos for us with regard to armoured vehicles and other weaponry that Ukraine needs,” she said.
Berlin’s priority was to ensure Ukraine quickly got older Soviet-designed kit that its military could use without extra training, she said, adding that it would backfill the stocks of allied countries that had such weaponry to spare, replacing it with more modern German-made equipment.
Pressed by journalists on whether Germany’s Leopard tank would be sent to Ukraine, she said troops would need training to use such advanced kit, and that Berlin would pay for that training.
“We are providing one billion euros because we should think not just for the coming days and months, but also the next years for the systems Ukraine needs for defence now, but also for a free Ukraine in the future,” she said.
“We know that every day counts.”
