Again there are delays in German arms deliveries: Two months ago, the chancellor’s office said that Germany was preparing a so-called ring exchange with Slovakia. The deal: The country gives 7-72 Soviet-era main battle tanks to Ukraine in exchange for more modern German tanks as replacements. But nothing has happened until today.
The reason for the delay: Germany offered 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks for 30 T-72s – not enough for Slovakia’s national defense, which therefore rejected the planned deal last week. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Defense in Bratislava when asked by Business Insider on Monday evening: “The reality is that we cannot accept the form of support that the Czech Republic or other countries have promised. They deliver a device to the Ukraine and receive two devices from Germany or another country in return. Slovakia has 30 T-72 tanks. Therefore, 15 Leopard main battle tanks cannot be a solution for us, as we need 30 main battle tanks for a tank battalion,” says a spokeswoman. “To this end, we are negotiating with our allies to find additional forms of support for Ukraine to counter Russia’s senseless aggression against the country,” the spokeswoman said.
The question now is whether and, above all, when there will be an agreement. The Ukrainian army is getting into more and more trouble in southern and eastern Ukraine. Although experts from NATO, among others, are preparing for a war that will last for months, the situation in some regions is likely to be decided between Ukraine and Russia by August at the latest.
