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German army unable to supply heavy weapons to Kiev, says Scholz’s defense chief

Christine Lambrecht said it would be necessary to set up what is known as a circular exchange with EU and NATO partners, meaning arms could be supplied to Ukraine from other countries, for which Germany will later be able to compensate

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht AP Photo/Hannibal Hanschke, pool

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht

© AP Photo/Hannibal Hanschke, pool

BERLIN, April 21. /TASS/. Germany cannot send heavy weapons to Ukraine from the Bundeswehr’s own supplies, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Thursday during a live broadcast by RTL and n-tv channels.

Lambrecht said it would therefore be necessary to set up what is known as a circular exchange with EU and NATO partners, meaning arms could be supplied to Ukraine from other countries, for which Germany will later be able to compensate. Also, Soviet-made weaponry could be delivered, the minister said. "This could imply tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and various alternatives that individual countries could offload. We are currently discussing this, and things are running very fast," Lambrecht explained. Asked when Ukraine could get that heavy weaponry, the German defense minister said "it could happen within days".

The circular exchange proposal was earlier put forward by German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who also acts as Economy and Climate Action Minister.

After a televised meeting with Western leaders on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the country’s armed forces had largely run out of supplies to arm Ukraine. Yet, Kiev could buy weapons from German defense companies, and these purchases would be subsequently repaid, he added. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said earlier that Kiev needed heavy weaponry, and that finding excuses not to supply was untimely.

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