Greece suspends arms swap deal with Germany, says local media

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – Greece suspended an arms swap deal with Germany that included the transfer of Russian-made BMP-1 armored vehicles from its inventory to Ukraine in return for receiving German Marder 1A3s infantry fighting vehicles, local media reported on Wednesday.

The problem emerged recently after Germany announced plans to transfer 40 Marder vehicles to Ukraine, leaving none available in the German inventory to send to Athens, private broadcaster CNN Greece reported.

According to the broadcaster, Germany claimed Greece would not ask for any additional Marders so they could be directed to Ukraine.

However, this has sparked displeasure with Athens, it said, claiming that the country remains intent on getting the vehicles and thus refused to send the BMP-1s to Ukraine unless it received six more of the German military vehicles, in addition to the 14 shipped so far, in the next few days.