German Defense Minister Pistorius said on April 1 that the equipment gap of the Bundeswehr has widened after the supply of large quantities of weapons to Ukraine. He said Germany would no longer support Ukraine with weapons from its stockpile, except for the promised military support projects.
Germany’s “Welt am Sonntag” reported on April 1 that Pistorius said in an interview with the newspaper that Germany’s weapons stockpile is limited, and that as defense minister, he cannot give everything away. Pistorius also said that it will take years to fill the existing equipment gap, and it may not be filled before 2030.
According to Reuters, Germany’s defense investment has been insufficient for a long time since the end of the Cold War, and most of the gap left by the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine has not been filled. The equipment condition of the Bundeswehr is worse than a year ago.
Under the pressure of the United States and other allies, the German government changed its tone in January this year, announcing that it would provide Ukraine with the “Leopard 2” main battle tank, and agreed with its allies to provide Ukraine with the German-made “Leopard 2” tank.
Members of the German SPD publish an open letter calling for the promotion of Russia-Ukraine negotiations
On March 31, local time, an open letter signed by more than 200 members of the German Social Democratic Party was released. The open letter calls on German Chancellor Scholz to facilitate negotiations to resolve the Ukraine crisis. The letter stated that the majority of Germans did not support the endless expansion of the conflict, but advocated peace. In February of this year, thousands of Germans rallied near the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, demanding that Germany promote Russia-Ukraine negotiations instead of continuing to supply Ukraine with weapons.