Given these struggles, Germany should “expand” its military supplies to Ukraine, Roth said, hinting at a possible direct delivery of German tanks to the country. Unfortunately, that hasn’t really worked out so far.” “Months ago, it was mainly about providing Ukraine with short-term support in the form of weapons that soldiers there could operate without lengthy training. “I supported the idea of the Ringtausch very early and resolutely,” Michael Roth, chair of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee and a senior SPD lawmaker, told POLITICO. However, apart from the tank swap with the Czech Republic - under which Germany agreed to supply Prague with 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks and one tank-recovery vehicle - other agreements still haven’t been finalized. Not only would it supply the Ukrainian military with ready-to-use tanks, it would include an element of deniability, making it harder for Russia to know whether it was fighting regular Ukrainian tanks or Western-supplied machines. Scholz has repeatedly said he’s closely coordinating weapon deliveries with other NATO partners, and that so far no other ally - including the United States - has delivered modern Western tanks to Kyiv.įor the chancellor, the Ringtausch seemed a comfortable solution. Tellingly, a government list of military support for Ukraine only names the Gepard as a “self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.” ‘Massive damage to Germany’s reputation’ But Scholz and senior members of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) are worried the move could provoke Russia and even escalate the situation into World War III.Ĭonsequently, the government has painstakingly sought to avoid giving any impression it will send tanks to Ukraine.Įven when Germany this week delivered the first five of 30 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to the country, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht argued those weapons do not count as tanks in the classical sense. ”īaerbock, from Scholz’s Green coalition partner, had previously urged the chancellor to directly send German tanks to Ukraine. “We must also make sure that this can also be done with the other. “I am glad that the Ringtausch with the Czech Republic is on the right track,” she said. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Prague on Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock admitted, in a diplomatic tone, that the government was struggling to implement the swap deals. And, to make matters worse, Polish officials claim their swapping arrangement has essentially failed. Other potential agreements with Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece remain stuck in negotiations.

So far, Germany has only made significant advances in striking a deal with the Czech Republic. In practice, however, the tank swap has made minimal progress. Kyiv’s military would get the same Soviet-style tank models its forces already use and, in theory, avoid the training and logistics required to operate and repair the German tanks. The chancellor argued that the Ringtausch model would be more advantageous for Ukraine. Instead of sending the Leopards or Marders directly to Ukraine, Scholz in April proposed a swap scheme under which NATO countries that still possess Soviet-era tanks would donate them to Kyiv in return for more modern German tanks.

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