Germany will supply Ukraine with defensive anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles, and ammunition, the government said on Saturday, in a shift of policy as Russia’s forces continued to pound Kyiv and other cities on day three of its campaign.
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to support Ukraine in defending itself against Putin’s invading army,” Scholz said on Twitter. Germany has a long-standing policy of not exporting weapons to war zones, rooted partly in its bloody 20th-century history and resulting pacifism. Countries aiming to pass on German weapons exports need to apply for approval in Berlin first.
Saturday’s announcement was received well in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Twitter: “Keep it up, Chancellor @OlafScholz! Anti-war coalition in action!”