Germany will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine, marking a complete reversal in Berlin’s restrictive arms export policy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Saturday.
Why it matters: Germany has for months come under intense criticism for its response to Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine. The government said its “historical responsibilities” prevented it from shipping arms to conflict zones, and had previously blocked other NATO allies from transferring German-origin weapons to Ukraine.
What they’re saying: “The Russian attack marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to help Ukraine defend against the invading army of Putin. That’s why we’re supplying 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 stinger missiles to our friends in the Ukraine,” Scholz tweeted.
– Germany will also lift its ban on other countries exporting German-origin weapons, allowing the Netherlands to transfer 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers to Ukraine.
The big picture: Germany is the largest economy and most powerful country in the European Union, making its voice and policy positions critical to the effectiveness of the West’s response to Russia’s invasion.
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- Discussion
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Breaking: Germany will go further than just lifting its ban on third countries transferring German-origin weapons.
Olaf Scholz says Germany will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine, calling Russia's invasion a "turning point." https://t.co/dIUIzmGFk9
— Zach Basu (@zacharybasu) February 26, 2022
Germany sends 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 stinger missiles to Ukraine!! https://t.co/URBKE6LjMt
— Anders Östlund (@andersostlund) February 26, 2022
Germanys foreign policy evolves 30 years in three days. https://t.co/pgSmD8kB1J
— Dr. Amy J. Nelson (@AmyJNelsonPhD) February 26, 2022
Also a critical change in appraising Merkel's legacy of appeasement. I have been harsh on Scholz for continuing it, so praise is due for correcting course promptly. The tide in Europe is changing and we must all hope it is not too late. https://t.co/DXSBpgPv55
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 26, 2022
What strikes me as especially noteworthy about Germany sensing Stinger missiles to Ukraine is that they didn’t do it quietly; the chancellor announced it. That says something about how quickly the politics of this are shifting in Europe’s largest economy.
— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) February 26, 2022
Putin has miscalculated badly. Russians will be deeply ashamed of what he is doing. He needs to be more seriously worried at home than at any previous time. This means he will become more desperate and possibly more reckless. It is hard to see how this can end well for him.
— john mclaughlin (@jmclaughlinSAIS) February 26, 2022
According to the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Russia may be planning a dirty bomb attack on its own territory to blame on the Ukrainians to justify a massive escalation in the war. This is not hyperbole. Putin did exactly this with apartment bombs in 1999 and blamed on Chechnya https://t.co/Y1hza5Vu0x
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) February 26, 2022
It took Putin to rouse the west. We have new purpose as we did in the Cold War: protection of democracy at home and abroad. https://t.co/XoIcwZgcT8
— Jennifer 'I stand with Ukraine' Rubin 🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@JRubinBlogger) February 26, 2022— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 27, 2022
Absolutely astonishing poll from Germany: After Russia's attack on Ukraine and Berlin's 180-degree turn on foreign policy, 78% of Germans support an immediate boost of defence spending by €100bn. Let me repeat: 78%! I cannot overstate how much of a shift this is. https://t.co/lpiSLNKIjB
— Marcel Dirsus (@marceldirsus) March 1, 2022
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