‘What is Berlin afraid of?’ Ukraine attacks Germany over lack of military aid

‘Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses,’ says Kyiv

Russian shelling hit a power substation in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Future Publishing via Getty Imag)

Angry Ukraine officials have accused Germany of ignoring Kyiv’s pleas for military hardware, including Leopard tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Berlin was offering “abstract fears and excuses” instead of weapons, as the row over military aid between the two countries erupted again.

His comments came after President Volodymyr Zelensky made a new appeal to the West to speed up deliveries of weapons systems as Ukrainian forces move to consolidate control over a large swathe of northeastern territory recaptured from Russia.

“Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now to liberate people and save them from genocide,” Kuleba tweeted.

“Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses. What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?,” he wrote, in unusually blunt language.

Germany has sent self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine but Zelensky and Kuleba say that is not enough. Kuleba has often criticised what he claims is Germany‘s slowness in sending weapons, suggesting it is reluctant to antagonise Russian President Vladimir Putin.

One of Zelensky’s advisers, Mykhailo Podolyak, also took a swipe at Germany.

“For six months the allies have been arguing over who will sell tanks to Ukraine. There are no tanks for six months because there is no ‘political solution’. Russia continues its terror, people die, time is wasted. Germany, we are waiting for your word,” he said on Twitter.

In talks with Kuleba in Berlin at the weekend, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock promised further military aid and did not rule out the delivery of Western-style main battle tanks, adding the “next few weeks and months will be crucial” for Ukraine.