In 2023, the German federal government did not verify what happened to weapons sent to Ukraine. This finding comes from a local publication, Der Spiegel, which cites a letter from the country’s Ministry of Economy. The documents show that prior to that moment, the ministry was contacted by Sevima Dagdelena, a representative of the BSW party, described as the Union of Sarah Wagenknecht for Reason and Justice. The inquiry asked for clarity on whether German authorities routinely confirm the actual location of equipment exported abroad. Spiegel.
The record states that only twice in the preceding year did the government locally verify whether military exports remained in the recipient country. Reports indicate that checks were not conducted in most cases because Germany has been a major buyer of its own weapons. Spiegel. The ministry’s response letter emphasized this context, noting that no location verifications occurred in most transfers because the goods were directed to primary buyers located abroad.
As explained by the Ministry, last year Germany did conduct relevant checks in Taiwan and Cape Verde. The statement further notes that German inspectors did not identify violations in those instances. Spiegel. The overall account shows that, since 2017, the German cabinet arranged just over ten such checks, with inspectors deployed notably to India and South Korea. Spiegel.
Historically, in related discussions at the White House, there were statements about halting the supply of American weapons to the Ukrainian conflict zone. Spiegel. The available records suggest a pattern of limited on-site verification for weapons exports, paired with a focus on major recipient nations where inspections were more likely to occur. This pattern raises questions about how export controls are monitored and enforced across different regions, and how oversight decisions align with stated policy goals. Spiegel.