The German government has scaled back arms deliveries to Ukraine to a minimal level over the last nine weeks, according to the newspaper Welt am Sonntag which cites official documents.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly expressed opposition to sending heavy weapons to Kyiv, underscoring the commitments Germany maintains with its NATO partners. Welt reports that since the end of March Berlin has not supplied any arms of notable significance to Ukraine.
From March 30 to May 26, Ukraine reportedly received only two shipments of equipment from the federal government. In mid-May Kyiv was provided with 3,000 anti-tank mines and 1,600 special steerable mines by Berlin, with no other deliveries documented publicly.
Zimtje Möller, a State Secretary in the German Ministry of Defense, stated that there had been no delays in the delivery process. He added that Germany is coordinating with other Western nations to avoid arming armored infantry vehicles and tanks that would be used by European and American forces.
Earlier, the German press agency reported unofficially that there are understandings among NATO members to refrain from supplying certain weapon systems to Ukraine.
Within alliance circles in Brussels, the risk of a direct military confrontation between NATO members and Russia has been emphasized as a priority. There are concerns that Moscow might interpret the shipment of Western battle tanks and combat aircraft as an entry into war and could retaliate with proportional measures, according to those close to the discussions.
Officials cautioned that despite the current agreement not to supply certain systems, there remains a possibility that both tanks and warplanes could eventually be transferred if circumstances change.
Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, criticized the pace of arms procurement. In comments to the Funke media group, the Ukrainian diplomat said the early promised delivery of 15 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns could arrive only at the end of July, with another 15 possibly delivered by the end of August. He also indicated that Germany could supply Ukraine with at least 130 Marder armored vehicles and 88 Leopard 1 tanks, asserting that the country possesses more than enough to fulfill those commitments.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has started receiving help from Western partners. On May 27, the Military Informer Telegram channel reported that Kyiv’s artillery received a 155 mm FH70 howitzer from Italy. The FH70 was developed in collaboration among Great Britain, Germany and Italy in the late 1960s. Its design features a powerful engine-assisted system allowing it to operate at speeds up to 16 km/h when needed, providing a degree of mobility on the battlefield.
The FH70 entered service in 1978. Its standard ammunition gives a firing range of about 24 kilometers, and the gun is capable of delivering up to six rounds per minute when required.