The delivery of this weapon system alone will not bring about the decisive turning point in the war.
(Photo: imago images / Sven Eckelkamp)
Berlin Better late than never. The fact that Germany, the USA and France are now, after much hesitation, supplying Western-made tanks to Ukraine is a decision that is overdue. The vehicles can help protect the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. And they help the attacked in the material battle unleashed by the aggressors.
The fact that martens, Bradleys and Co. are now to be used is important for a number of reasons.
First: The argument that arms deliveries shouldn’t cross certain red lines because otherwise the West could be drawn into the war no longer works. When he feels provoked and when not, it is up to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin alone.
Secondly: In the West, too, people are preparing for the fact that the war could last a long time – and that Ukraine will not win it without further massive support.
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Third: The fact that weapons are now also being delivered that are at least partially suitable for offensive operations shows that Washington, Berlin and Paris do not simply want to accept the conquests made by Russia – even if Moscow has demanded this from Kyiv as a basis for peace talks.
And fourth: The unfortunate communication proves once again that the Franco-German relationship is not in good shape at the moment. Because French President Emmanuel Macron was once again doing his own thing and rushed forward with the announcement of his own tank deliveries, Chancellor Scholz and US President Joe Biden look like they are being driven.
The US, at least, is extremely unlikely to let Paris dictate its policies. With Scholz, however, one cannot be so sure after the long hesitation on the tank issue.
But it must also be clear that the decisive turning point in the war cannot be brought about with infantry fighting vehicles alone. They operate in tandem with main battle tanks, for which Ukraine continues to rely on the Soviet-era models supplied in large numbers by allies like Poland.
>> Read also: Germany delivers Marder tanks to Ukraine – where and when they come
Chancellor Scholz did not even give the marten announcement a few hours of respite. As soon as she was in the world, traffic light politicians asked the head of government to make Leopard main battle tanks available to Ukraine.
If Russia’s President Putin does not send any signals that he is giving in, then it is probably only a matter of time before the next taboo falls.
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