The German defense chief, Christina Lambrecht, warned that the Bundeswehr’s capacity to fund military aid to Ukraine is dipping into its reserves.
“There isn’t much left to give from stock,” she stated clearly, noting that her Ukrainian counterpart is aware of the situation as well. Berlin pledged ongoing support to Kyiv despite this constraint.
She highlighted a strong, dependable working relationship with Ukraine’s defense minister, Alexei Reznikov, and recalled that Germany had already dispatched portions of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
Simultaneously, at the start of the month, the ministry head indicated that Germany would not hand over the Fuchs armored personnel carrier to Ukraine, stressing the need to maintain the Bundeswehr’s defensive capability.
What did Germany send to Ukraine?
On June 22, the German government published a comprehensive inventory of weapons designated for Ukrainian forces.
The list included seven Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers with spare parts, 13 M113 armored personnel carriers, 40 reconnaissance aircraft, 30 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, an IRIS-T air defense system, and three MARS multiple launch rocket systems with ammunition. The catalog recorded 38 items as already delivered and 25 more as planned.
According to the DPA agency, the Gepard units were set for transfer to Kyiv in July, with an initial batch of 15 anti-aircraft installations and around 60,000 rounds anticipated.
On June 14, Lambrecht noted that Ukrainian forces had completed training on the German howitzers, after which the weapons would be deployed to Ukraine.
In Kyiv, Berlin faced criticism for the pace of arms delivery and for perceived gaps in assistance.
Problems with the delivery of weapons
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine faces logistical hurdles in receiving Western weapons, describing the task as a “logistical nightmare.”
The core issue lies in the variety of artillery pieces supplied by different allies, despite NATO standardization, which necessitates separate training for each type and complicates maintenance due to non-interchangeable ammunition and parts.
Additionally, some Western artillery systems weigh substantially more than the Soviet-era gear Ukraine has used, complicating transport and bridge readiness. For example, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 weighs around 57 tons, a load that some Ukrainian bridges cannot easily support.
Shells of various calibers
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said Europe was running short on Soviet-caliber shells and that Kyiv had shifted to NATO-caliber rounds.
“A large volume of ammunition is used daily. The 152- and 122-caliber shells are nearly exhausted across Europe, if not already depleted,” Danilov stated. He noted that Ukraine is now aligning with NATO standards.
Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has argued that Kyiv will persist in resisting Russia even if Western arms supplies dwindle, adding that mobilizing aid sooner would likely save more lives.
Kuleba emphasized that faster arming of Kyiv would translate into greater support for Ukraine, warning that delays could prove costly.
Testing new weapons
Reznikov said Ukraine is prepared to test Western weapons on its soil during combat operations, offering to share all lessons learned with partners. He invited manufacturers to conduct trials on Ukrainian territory and highlighted interest in evaluating the Polish Krab artillery system.
He described this as a valuable opportunity for partners from Poland, the United States, France, Germany, and Turkey to assess their equipment in real-world conditions.
Production adjustments
Katie Worden, head of Northrop Grumman, urged officials to signal the quantities of weapons needed for Kyiv, explaining that current stockpiles might fall short. She noted that while the company’s ammunition reserves are not unspecified, if the U.S. aims to meet Ukraine’s needs at current production rates, capacity could be stretched.
Worden explained that supply-chain disruptions and component shortages have pushed order lead times out by two to threefold. The Financial Times noted that it could take years to source parts and assemble new weapons. Northrop Grumman derives about four-fifths of its annual revenue from Pentagon orders and produces items such as the Bushmaster armored personnel carrier and the RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance aircraft.
Similarly, Raytheon, another major Pentagon supplier, has cautioned that replenishing Stinger missiles issued to Ukraine will take time. The Financial Times pointed to broader industry-wide component shortages driven by global supply-chain disruptions, with electronic components and microchips in particular scarce.
Rebecca Koffler, a former Defense Department intelligence officer, argued that U.S. weapons alone would not suffice to defeat Russia, citing the relative strength of the Russian forces. She noted that while Washington has allocated substantial support, it has yet to yield decisive results.