In order to be able to quickly supply Ukraine with weapons, Germany agreed on a ring exchange procedure with Poland. Warsaw is now raising serious allegations against the federal government.
Berlin – Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, one topic has dominated the foreign policy of the German federal government: arms deliveries to the war zone. If the traffic light coalition initially completely rejected the delivery of heavy weapons, a middle course is now being pursued. Heavy weapon systems such as the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and the anti-aircraft tank Gepard are now being delivered to Kyiv for the Ukraine war. Hot discussions continued in Berlin about deliveries of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle or the Fuchs troop transporter.
On Friday, however, German arms export policy is threatened with the next excitement. This time it’s about the ring exchange procedure for heavy weapons with various Eastern European countries. Including Poland. The government in Warsaw raises serious allegations against the federal government and even feels betrayed. But where is the problem?
Ukraine war: German arms deliveries via detours – this is how the ring exchange with Poland works
The so-called ring swap of weapons was intended to ensure that Ukraine could be supplied with heavy weapons quickly, especially in the first months of the war. The key point here is that weapons should be supplied that the Ukrainian armed forces are familiar with and can therefore use immediately. Accordingly, three parties are involved in a ring exchange. Germany as the donor of the heavy weapons, Ukraine as the recipient, and a third country – in this case Poland – as an exchange partner.
As a first step, Poland is supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine. These are mostly tanks or weapon systems from former Soviet stocks, on which the Ukrainian armed forces were also trained. In return, Warsaw will receive newer weapons from NATO partner Germany in order to fill the gaps in their inventory. This gives Ukraine quick access to heavy weapons, Poland more modern weapon systems and Germany can indirectly support Kyiv against the Russian invasion. A win-win-win situation. At least in theory.
Warsaw complains of German “deception maneuvers” in weapon ring exchange
Because it is precisely with this method that there seem to be problems. On Friday, Warsaw was extremely dissatisfied with the quantity and condition of the weapons offered from Germany as part of the ring exchange. “The German promises to exchange armored rings have turned out to be deceptive maneuvers,” Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk told the mirror. The German offers are so unacceptable for Warsaw that one hopes for the support of other NATO members, the government representative continued.
Tanks from the 60’s? Poland amazed at the “hardly to be taken seriously” proposal from Berlin
According to Poland, it has delivered almost 200 operational Soviet T-72 tanks to Ukraine. Warsaw had expected that Germany would replenish the stocks by the same amount. However, it doesn’t look like that at the moment. According to the report, Germany is said to have offered just 20 older Leopard tanks, which could only be delivered from spring 2023. And even then only one tank per month.
With regard to the offer, Szynkowski vel Sęk spoke of a “proposition that is difficult to take seriously” and a “symbolic” delivery. That’s why Poland prefers to talk to other NATO partners “who are really willing to help us with this.” Previously, the German government is said to have offered Poland the delivery of tanks that were even older than the T-72 tanks handed over to Ukraine. Tank. An affront for the deputy foreign minister. “We have no interest in deteriorating the condition of our armament and training our soldiers on equipment from the 1960s,” says Szynkowski vel Sęk im mirror further.
Poland is now hoping for tanks from Britain and the US to fill in the gaps in its defenses. The NATO member borders Ukraine in the southeast and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in the north.
Lambrecht on ring exchange: Are “of course in discussion with the industry”
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) also commented on the Polish allegations on Friday afternoon. “So what has to happen particularly quickly is support for Ukraine, because they are fighting a courageous fight,” said the 57-year-old on the sidelines of an appointment in Neuburg an der Donau. Germany is providing the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and multiple rocket launchers for this purpose. “With regard to closing gaps in states that have given up to Ukraine, we are of course also in discussion with the industry that the industry must also increase capacities if at all possible.”
Lambrecht’s Ministry of Defense had repeatedly emphasized that the Bundeswehr could hardly hand over any material from its own stocks. These are already too decimated. Already in April, the SPD politician had opposed the Augsburg General positioned accordingly. At the time, the defense minister saw few opportunities to supply Ukraine with weapons and material directly from Bundeswehr stocks. In order to maintain the Bundeswehr’s ability to defend itself, future deliveries would increasingly have to be made directly via the armaments industry.
As debates over arms deliveries continue, war rages on in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops recently reported that Russian forces had not been able to make any major advances in the Donetsk region despite heavy artillery fire. (fd with dpa)
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