The German government plans to transfer new significant packages of military equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the first half of the year. The list of weapons that are planned to be provided includes 22 Leopard 1 main battle tanks, 25 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and the Iris-T air defense system. In addition, Germany will deliver 16 howitzers, two additional Patriot air defense launchers, seven Gepard anti-aircraft tanks with ammunition, 3,500 UAVs, six Sea-King attack helicopters, and 250,000 rounds of artillery ammunition.
Moreover, German Foreign and Defense Ministers Annalena Baerbock and Boris Pistorius want to mobilize an additional budget of approximately €3B for further arms supplies to Ukraine before the Bundestag elections scheduled for February 23. However, these plans are being blocked by Olaf Scholz’s office, as it does not want to present the future federal government with a fait accompli and considers the previously allocated €4B sufficient for now.
However, Pistorius said that Ukraine can count on Germany for military aid, regardless of the election’s outcome. The country will soon transfer dozens of guided missiles for the IRIS-T system.