Olaf Scholz said the Russian invasion marks “a turning point.” Government sources also said that they are working towards a “selective” exclusion of Moscow from the SWIFT system, something they had opposed so far.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point in history, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday as his government approved the delivery of a large batch of weapons to Ukraine in a major policy change.
“In this situation, it is our duty to support Ukraine as best we can in its defense against the invading army (of Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” Scholz said, stressing that Germany “is very close to Ukraine’s side.”
Thus, he added that they will deliver 1,000 rocket launchers and 500 Stinger missiles to Kiev. The weapons, which will come from the Bundeswehr’s own stocks, “will be delivered as quickly as possible to Ukraine”, reported a government statement.
It is a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) that uses infrared homing technology to search for and engage flying targets. The Stinger, which is worn over the operator’s shoulder, was first developed in the US in 1981 and is currently used by more than 18 countries.
In response to the announcement, President Volodymir Zelensky was grateful on Saturday afternoon, tweeting: “Germany has just announced the supply of anti-tank grenade launchers and Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Keep it up, Chancellor Olaf Scholz! Anti-War Coalition in Action!”
Scholz would also have given Estonia permission to deliver old howitzers from the former German Democratic Republic, as well as 14 armored vehicles “for evacuation purposes” and 10,000 tons of fuel through Poland, according to government sources told Bild.
Although one can speak of a historical exception in Germany’s arms export policy, in force since 1990, organizations such as the Frankfurt Peace Research Institute (PRIF) point out that different German governments have surreptitiously failed to comply by allowing both the export of civic-military dual-use material such as certain arms shipments to third world countries in conflict situations.
However, and with this decision, Germany thus joins the doctrine of military assistance to Ukraine, to which several European countries have joined, such as Sweden, Belgium, Slovakia, the Czech Republic or Poland, as well as the United States.
The change could mean a rapid increase in European military assistance to Ukraine, as a large part of the continent’s weapons and ammunition are, at least in part, made in Germany, giving Berlin legal control over their transfer. .
Before his arrival in Berlin, the Polish Prime Minister had ironically commented on the previous contributions made by Germany, which had decided to send no more than 5,000 helmets to protect the Ukrainian forces. “It must be a joke,” Morawiecki lamented about the military aid committed by the Scholz government in recent days, when there are already thousands of Russian troops deployed on Ukrainian territory and pressure is increasing on different fronts, including in Kiev.
Germany also responds in this way to the constant complaints of the Ukrainian ambassador to the country, Andrij Melnik, who had accused the federal government this Saturday of “standing idly by” while Russia “murders the Ukrainians.” “We urgently need anti-aircraft missiles to protect people. That would be a gesture of true solidarity,” he asserted.
In addition, the German government has for the first time shown a readiness for a “selective and functional” restriction of Russia’s access to the SWIFT banking system in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry reported through a message on its Twitter account that it is working on ways to limit the “collateral damage” of a Russian disconnection from the SWIFT system “so that it affects those it owes.” “What we need is a selective and functional restriction of SWIFT,” he added.
Germany had resisted Russia’s disconnection from SWIFT because of the massive impact this move would have on the German market as well.
Thus, for example, it would not be possible to pay for Russian gas and therefore not buy it either, Finance Minister Christian Lindner had argued.
The Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, had also expressed her concern about the fact that excluding Russia from the SWIFT system would also mean that it would not be able to finance humanitarian projects or that citizens residing in Europe could send money to their families.
In the same Twitter thread, Baerbock and the head of Economy and Climate, Robert Habeck, also reported the German government’s support for Ukraine’s equipment to defend itself against Russia.
“After Russia’s shameful attack, Ukraine must be able to defend itself. You have the inalienable right to self-defense. For this reason, the Government supports Ukraine by equipping it with urgently needed material”, they pointed out.
With information from AFP, EuropaPress and EFE
