Scholz and Biden discuss "sustainable" support for Ukraine

The White House said on the phone call between Scholz and Biden that both politicians had "discussed their continued support for Ukraine" and "condemned Russian aggression".

Scholz and Biden discuss "sustainable" support for Ukraine

The White House said on the phone call between Scholz and Biden that both politicians had "discussed their continued support for Ukraine" and "condemned Russian aggression". For his part, US Secretary of State Blinken acknowledged Germany's "extraordinary" contribution in supporting Kiev. With regard to the Leopard debate, he said that possible arms deliveries are always "sovereign decisions that each country makes for itself".

The US Secretary of State made the comments following a meeting with his British counterpart James Cleverly, whose country announced over the weekend that it would be supplying heavy battle tanks to Kyiv. In view of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, these tank deliveries are a "moral imperative," Cleverly said, increasing the pressure on other countries to follow his country's decision.

Blinken "applauded" London's decision, but did not want to commit itself to possible US tank deliveries. "I expect you will hear more announcements in the coming days," the US Secretary of State told journalists at the joint press conference with Cleverly. At the same time, he referred to upcoming consultations between the United States and its allies.

Among other things, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin wants to come to Berlin on Thursday. On Friday, at the Ramstein US military base in Rhineland-Palatinate, he will lead consultations with the 30 NATO countries and other countries in the so-called Ukraine Contact Group on increasing military aid to Ukraine. The question of whether the Ukrainian army will receive Western-style main battle tanks will also play a major role.

Kyiv has been demanding the delivery of such tanks for a long time, including pushing for Leopard tanks. Ukraine's western partners had long refused to supply heavy tanks. Most recently, however, Poland and other EU and NATO countries had agreed to supply Leopard tanks made in Germany. The federal government would have to give the green light for this.

Chancellor Scholz had previously justified his no to the delivery of battle tanks, among other things, by saying that Germany should not go it alone. However, Britain's announcement over the weekend that Ukraine would receive Challenger 2 main battle tanks invalidated this argument. On Tuesday, several EU countries then appealed to Scholz to quickly approve Leopard deliveries to Ukraine.

Kyiv, for its part, took the change in the Federal Ministry of Defense as an opportunity to increase the pressure on Germany. The Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister and former Berlin Ambassador Andriy Melnyk demanded extensive deliveries of heavy weapons from the new department head Boris Pistorius (SPD). These included "battle tanks, fighter jets, warships, multiple rocket launchers, artillery, anti-aircraft defense and of course sufficient ammunition," he told the news portal t-online.

Pistorius must act "much more decisively and quickly" than his predecessor Christine Lambrecht (SPD), Melnyk demanded. "In this way he can prove that Germany has shelved its refusal tactics forever."

The Netherlands meanwhile signaled an expansion of their military aid: After the USA and Germany, they are also considering providing Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system. "We intend to go along with what you are doing with Germany on the Patriot project," Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a White House meeting with Biden. He had already discussed the topic with Scholz.

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