Germany offers Ukraine ammunition and training in handling artillery guns
Germany will train Ukrainians to handle heavy artillery weapons, as well as provide ammunition for it, Bloomberg reports. But with tanks, the situation is different.
Michael Nienaber
Germany will provide Ukraine with ammunition, as well as training in handling heavy artillery weapons. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under increasing pressure to force him to provide more support to the Ukrainians in their attempts to repel the offensive of Russian troops.
According to one senior government official, Germany will provide special training and ammunition for the PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery units that the Netherlands is sending to Ukraine. Training in the handling of these heavy weapons will be conducted on the territory of Poland or Germany, but not in Ukraine, as attacks by Russian troops continue there, which was also told by this official, who asked to keep his name secret, because the content of negotiations between NATO members and Ukraine is not subject to disclosure.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is coming under increasing pressure, including from members of his own ruling coalition, who are trying to force him to increase military assistance to Ukraine, including sending heavy weapons there.
On Tuesday, April 19, after a video conference with representatives of the G7 countries and other NATO members, Scholz told reporters that Germany had attracted a number of German military contractors to help increase the supply of weapons after it had exhausted the reserves of its own armed forces.
According to the government official mentioned above, instead of sending weapons directly, Germany will supply modern tanks to Eastern European countries, which in turn are ready to transfer Soviet-era military equipment to Ukraine, the management of which Ukrainian soldiers have already been trained. Negotiations on which NATO members in Eastern Europe will supply their equipment to Ukraine are still ongoing.
On Tuesday, April 19, Scholz said that it is extremely important to send to Ukraine such weapons that Ukrainians will be able to use effectively immediately.
In his statement, the Chancellor did not mention any direct deliveries from Germany of heavy weapons, such as tanks. Instead, he reiterated that Germany and NATO members should not become parties to the conflict in Ukraine.
Scholz also said that Germany is ready to send additional anti-tank systems and anti-aircraft systems, and mentioned ammunition for artillery guns, without giving any additional details.
