Scholz: Germany will give more weapons to Ukraine

Germany will continue to support Ukraine militarily although it has practically maxed-out the weapons it can deliver from its own stocks and is instead working with its armaments industry and other nations to send more, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday.

Scholz is facing growing frustration at home as well as abroad with what critics say is his lack of leadership on Ukraine. Even members of the junior partners in his three-way coalition are now openly accusing him of dithering on Ukrainian pleas to send it more heavy weapons.

Asked however if Germany would send Leopard tanks, he said the Western allies – not just Berlin – agreed it made sense to send Ukraine arms it could immediately deploy. As such, the allies would enable East European countries to hand over Soviet weapons it was familiar with by committing to replacing them, he said.

“We will provide the necessary money for the purchase,” said Scholz.