'Disappointing signals': Ukrainian FM criticizes Germany over tank deliveries

By Rabia Iclal Turan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Ukrainian foreign minister on Tuesday criticized Germany for its stance on battle tank deliveries, as Kyiv defends itself from Moscow's "special military operation."

"Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now — to liberate people and save them from genocide. Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses," Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. "What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?"

Kuleba's comment came after German Defense Minister Christine Lambrech on Monday rejected demands to supply Kyiv main battle tanks.

"So far, no country has sent Western infantry fighting vehicles or battle tanks to Ukraine," she said in Berlin, adding that Germany will not take such action unilaterally.

Kyiv had requested 88 Leopard tanks and 100 Marder-type armored infantry fighting vehicles from Germany.

Germany’s Greens, Scholz's coalition partners, have also insisted that Berlin should deliver weapons directly from the stocks of the Bundeswehr (armed forces), and not limit transfers to the so-called ring swap mechanism.

In the ring swap, Germany equips Eastern European NATO partners with Leopard main battle tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, which in return hand over older Soviet-designed tanks to Ukraine.

Ukraine has recently made rapid advances against Russian forces, retaking over 3,000 square kilometers (1,158 square miles) of land in Kharkiv from Russia.