Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt of the Green Party is calling for alternatives to the planned arms exchange with Poland for Ukraine. “The exchange is not working as planned,” Göring-Eckardt told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). “Alternatives are on the table. For example, directly supplying weapons if we can.”
Under the exchange process, the Eastern allies will provide Ukraine with easily serviceable Soviet-designed tanks. In return, Germany promised its NATO partners modern replacement equipment. Polish President Andrzej Duda, however, has repeatedly accused Berlin of not keeping its promises.
The Polish government made it clear to Spiegel that it feels cheated by Germany. Poland has already delivered its stockpile of T-72 tanks to Ukraine – according to Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, more than 200 units in two months.
Göring-Eckardt sees criticism as ‘wake-up call’
The criticism from Warsaw “may not have been diplomatic, but it is a wake-up call,” Göring-Eckardt said. Germany must organize “adequate support of Ukraine with weapons,” he said. “Arms deliveries help decide how long a war will last and how many lives will be lost.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk had told Spiegel: “German promises regarding the exchange of tanks turned out to be a deceptive maneuver.” The tanks offered were very few and outdated. From Poland’s point of view, the German offers were so unacceptable that Poland now relied on the help of other NATO partners.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) expressed understanding for Poland’s anger in an interview with Spiegel and at the same time called on the industry to take responsibility. According to the minister, it will have to cover the gaps of the Polish army: “I cannot do this from the reserves of the Bundeswehr, if I want to ensure the national defense and the defense of the alliance,” said Lambrecht.
Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, had also admitted that the plan was not working as planned. However, the Greens politician rejected the strong criticism of Poland. In addition to Poland, the German government has also agreed ring exchange agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.
Source: Capital
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