In the ring exchange procedure, eastern allies of Ukraine are to provide easy-to-operate Soviet-design tanks. In return, Germany promised the NATO partners modern equipment as a replacement. However, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has repeatedly accused Berlin of not keeping promises.
Baerbock now said to “Bild” that the ring exchange had been initiated “because it seemed to us to be the best and quickest way at the time”. Now the federal government must deal with the question of why such an exchange “obviously does not happen and whether we then have to provide other support”.
The minister rejected the Polish government’s accusation of breach of word and deception in connection with the tank ring exchange: “In a situation like this, nobody deceives their European neighbors.” She added: “It was clear from the start that we couldn’t replace every single tank overnight with a snap of our fingers.”
Germany cannot deliver new tanks that the Bundeswehr itself does not have, said the Greens politician. Others, on the other hand, could be delivered immediately.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) had defended the tank ring exchange against criticism on Thursday. It is very important to the federal government to fill in the gaps; but that cannot happen overnight. In addition to Poland, the federal government has also agreed ring exchange deals with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.
