Ukraine says it could equip a full battalion with six more self-propelled howitzers. According to a report, the federal government wants to deliver them together with the Netherlands and another partner.
The federal government wants to give Ukraine more self-propelled howitzers to defend against the Russian attack. Talks are being held with the Netherlands and another European partner, as the dpa news agency learned from Defense Ministry circles in Berlin. So far Ukraine has received seven Panzerhaubitze 2000 units from Germany and five of the weapon systems from the Netherlands. From Kyiv it was stated that a complete Ukrainian artillery battalion could be equipped with a total of 18 howitzers – i.e. six additional models. In Berlin, there is a firm will to fulfill the request if partners also deliver. Germany would then deliver only three or only two more weapon systems.
The Ukrainian army is increasingly coming under pressure, especially in the east of the country, mainly because of the material superiority of the attackers. After weeks of fighting, the Ukrainian soldiers had to withdraw from the strategically important city of Sievjerodonetsk.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht had already announced in the Bundestag last week that after the delivery of the twelve German-Dutch self-propelled howitzers, further systems are to follow. The SPD politician named the multiple rocket launcher MARS II, of which Germany and Great Britain each wanted to deliver three systems and the USA four. The training of Ukrainians on the rocket launcher should start in June.
At the same time as the additional delivery of howitzers became known, the Ukrainian government demanded that heavy weapons be made available more quickly. “I urge Germany and other partners to speed up deliveries of heavy weapons,” Foreign Minister Dimitri Kuleba told “Bild”: “They make a real difference. Every piece strengthens us and enables us to get closer to the day when we… win the peace for us and for all of Europe.”
Most urgently, his country needs MLRS and 155mm artillery systems. “It is true that Soviet-caliber ammunition is running out, but our stockpiles of NATO-caliber ammunition are growing rapidly. We need more systems to be able to use them,” he said.
