These HIMARS and munitions are reportedly part of a $700 million aid package for Ukraine, a package that will be announced on Wednesday. Sources revealed that this military aid would include air surveillance radars, Javelins, spare parts, helicopters, and the like.
While Germany has initially announced the donation, the delivery of weaponry is another issue. Last month, Germany offered to send 50 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine, with German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announcing it to the international community through Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the first meeting of nations supporting Kyiv in Ramstein.
But the transfer was somewhat halted as the Swiss, who produced the ammunition for the Gepard, blocked the transfer of ammunition of the Gepard’s 35mm guns. Berlin has also promised to give Ukraine 7 Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH) Howitzers. However, the delivery of these howitzers is currently an unknown status, with Scholz saying that the Ukrainians need to be further trained to use the Gepard. So far, both weapons have not been reported to be used in Ukraine, more so weapons from the US and other countries who have pledged to donate have already been received by the Ukrainian government. This in itself indicates Germany’s hesitance to deliver their weapons.
#German Chancellor Olaf #Scholz said that more than 15 tons of ammunition, 100 thousand hand grenades and more than 5 thousand anti-tank mines were supplied to #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/uJpF71HJGK
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 1, 2022
As a result, Scholz is increasingly being branded as an indecisive and lacking leader, especially during times of critical emergencies. A poll in Germany showed that more than 54% of the German public were dissatisfied with how he is handling the current crisis, with his approval rating falling to 32% in the same survey. In some circles, people favor Green Vice-Chancellor of Germany Robert Habeck as the “better chancellor.”
“His party is plummeting, but the chancellor feels he has done everything right. Doubts and questions rain down on him, but Olaf simply sits tight,” the Spiegel Magazine said.
Needless to say, the international community has also been frustrated with the lukewarm actions of the German chancellor, with Polish President Andrzej Duda criticizing Scholz for not fulfilling its promise of replacing Polish tanks that were donated to Ukraine.
“If we were supported by our German allies with tanks to replace those ones we gave to Ukraine, we’d be very grateful,” Duda said. “We had such a promise. We hear Germany isn’t ready to fulfill it.”
Sending four rocket artillery systems to Ukraine strikes us Germany making press headlines without actually doing much to support Ukraine in a significant way. Europe and Germany itself have a vast arms industry that makes everything Ukraine could possibly need on the battlefield. So far the grand total of European arms sent to Ukraine.is about one-tenth of the assistance provided by the US.
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