Contents tagged with Germany

  • German Defense Ministry rejects Bundestag proposal to supply Ukraine with more weapons

    The German Defense Ministry rejected the proposal of Bundestag MPs from the ruling coalition to supply Ukraine with more weapons. “In view of the threat posed by Russia under President Vladimir Putin, Germany cannot take such risks,” DW quotes the official representative of the German Defense Ministry.

    "Indeed, we must be prepared for the fact that Putin will take advantage of any weakness and even a temporary gap in NATO's defense readiness," AFP quoted him as saying. He recalled that Germany …

  • German Chancellor Scholz says he does not support EU ban on visas for Russians

    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Olaf Scholz) was skeptical about calls to introduce a total ban on issuing visas to citizens of the Russian Federation because of the Russian armed invasion of Ukraine. "This is Putin's war, so I don't like such initiatives," he said at a big summer press conference in Berlin.

    According to Scholz, the European Union has already imposed broad sanctions against representatives of the Russian leadership, and "this will continue." At the same time, the Federal …

  • German ex-Chancellor Schroeder in Moscow for possible talks on gas deliveries to Germany

    German Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived in Moscow and settled near the head office of the Russian oil conglomerate Rosneft. He told reporters that he was a vacation. In response to the remark that the Rosneft’s office was very close, Schroeder replied in surprise: "Really? Yes, you're right." However, Schroeder's wife denied his words, saying that he is not on vacation at all, but "conducts negotiations on energy supplies."

    "He's not on vacation, he's negotiating energy policy in Moscow, …

  • Despite promises, German government reduces military support for Ukraine

    Despite its promises, the German government has not increased military support for Ukraine. The government opposition calls such behavior shameful, reported Die Welt.

    On Monday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "We will support Ukraine – as long as it needs this support: economically, humanitarianly, financially and through the supply of weapons."

    However, as noted, the actions of the government do not correspond to its statements.

    As the newspaper notes, the list of weapons supplied to Ukraine, …

  • Bundestag Defense Committee calls on Scholz to convene ‘National Conference on Ukraine’

    Chairman of the German Bundestag Defense Committee Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to convene a "National Conference on Ukraine" as soon as possible to agree on further actions to help Ukraine, reports the news agency dpa.

    The conference should be attended by representatives of the government, the Armed Forces of Germany, defense industry and trade unions, suggested Strack-Zimmermann. "The goal should be to draw up an orderly plan and initiate the next targeted …

  • Media: Germany and Canada are prepared to circumvent sanctions to restore Russia’s gas supplies to Europe

    Germany has convinced Canada to bypass sanctions to help Berlin fix the gas issue involving Russian gas giant Gazprom. Ottawa intends to return Siemens gas turbines to Gazprom, so that Russia has no excuses in restoring gas supplies through Nord Stream. Ukrainian authorities are outraged by the decision of Canada and Germany and intend to fight for it to be cancelled, reported Evropeyska Pravda, citing its sources.

    The Ukrainian side insists that if Canada returns the turbine to Russia, then …

  • Merkel says she is ready to mediate talks between Ukraine and Russia

    Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel does not rule out that in the future she may become a mediator in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

    In an interview with RND news agency Merkel was asked if she was ready to be a mediator. "To date, this question has not been raised," she replied.

    Merkel also noted that last year she tried to discuss with Putin the "Normandy format" and the new order of European security, but he was not ready for the conversation.

    “On the one hand, Putin was …

  • Berlin blocks Spain from sending German made tanks to Ukraine

    Germany did not allow Spain to send German Leopard 2 A4 tanks to Ukraine, reports Der Spiegel.

    Spain planned to send to the Ukrainian Armed Forces 40 tanks produced in the 90s. According to international trade rules, the permission was supposed to be obtained from the country producing the tanks. But Germany refused to allow the delivery. In addition, according to Der Spiegel, Germany warned Spain that this step would deviate from the decision taken by other Western allies not to supply tanks …

  • German Foreign Minister: it will take months to supply promised air defense systems to Ukraine

    It will take months for Germany to supply Ukraine with the German IRIS-T SLM air defense systems, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a speech in the Bundestag.

    When asked about the delivery of IRIS-T SLM to Kyiv, which was previously announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Baerbock said: "Yes, it will take months."

    The Minister explained the delay by the fact that the weapons will be supplied by the manufacturer Diehl directly to Ukraine, and not from Bundeswehr warehouses. …

  • Germany to send 15 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine in July

    Germany will deliver 15 Flakpanzer Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine in July.

    Speaking after a meeting Friday between German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and her Ukrainian counterpart, Olexii Resnokiv, a Lambrecht said the anti-aircraft system will be used to defend critical infrastructure in Ukraine.

    Germany will provide training support as well as 60,000 rounds of ammunition.

    Lambrecht explained that the Gepard is an effective weapon with a "considerable deterrent …