According to the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, he has received promises in Berlin for further arms deliveries to his home country. “In a direct conversation, we were promised more weapons and more ammunition. We will announce which ones together in due course,” said Makeiev in an interview with “Welt am Sonntag”. He doesn’t want to put diplomatic pressure on the federal government, but wants Germany to deliver what it has faster. “Because we don’t have time to wait any longer for weapons.”
More anti-aircraft systems, self-propelled howitzers, cheetahs and ammunition were urgently needed at the front. “In addition, we are still in talks about the delivery of Marder and Leopard tanks. But the decision on this lies with the federal government,” said the ambassador.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has so far refused to supply Leopard 2 tanks on the grounds that no other NATO country has made such tanks available. The US signaled on Friday that they see no obstacle in this. But it was Germany’s decision, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told journalists during a visit to Berlin.
Makeiev also told the newspaper that the German government had assured him that there would be no negotiations with Russia without Kiev’s consent: “I was clearly assured that there would be no negotiations with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin if we didn’t want them to .” At the moment, Ukraine does not need mediators, but allies. “Because peace in Ukraine cannot be negotiated, it must be fought for. When the Chancellor says that Ukraine will be helped as long as it needs us, that means until the last Russian soldier has disappeared from our soil, including Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea that reparations have been paid and war criminals convicted,” Makeiev demanded.
Makeiev took over the post of ambassador to Germany about six weeks ago from his predecessor Andriy Melnyk. Melnyk became deputy foreign minister in Kyiv.
