Germany declares it is not an ally of Ukraine
(Baonghean.vn)- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that his country is doing its best to provide Ukraine with the necessary military support. However, he reiterated that Berlin and Kiev are not part of the same alliance.
In an interview with German television station ZDF, Mr Pistorius dismissed speculation that Germany was "weighing" its aid to Ukraine to avoid defeat by Moscow, but also prevent Kiev from achieving major victories.
“We provide what we can. The same applies to most other allies and partners. Germany is not an ally of Ukraine and therefore not part of the same alliance,” Minister Pistorius stressed.
Mr Pistorius went on to note that Germany was the second-largest donor to Ukraine, after the United States. However, he acknowledged that the industrial base in Germany and the West was struggling to meet the high demand for military supplies. “We have a problem now where in certain areas the arms industry cannot supply fast enough to meet demand,” he said.
Germany's defense chief said that while arms manufacturers are doing their best to increase production, Russia is doing the same despite unprecedented economic sanctions from the West.
He also reiterated his criticism of the EU's ambitious target, first announced in March this year, to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine by spring 2024, noting that the target set unrealistic expectations that were unlikely to be met.
As of November, the EU had delivered only a third of the expected amount. Last month, several Western media outlets reported that the German government had agreed to double military aid to Ukraine from 4 billion euros to 8 billion euros ($4.3 billion to $8.6 billion) by 2024. Russia has repeatedly warned the West against sending weapons to Kiev, arguing that such a move would only prolong the conflict and make the West a direct party to the war./.
