Half of Germans Oppose Deliveries of Heavy Arms to Ukraine, Poll Says

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Half of Germans are against deliveries of heavy arms to Ukraine while the opposite opinion is shared by 43% of respondents, a poll held by the German Institute for New Social Answers (INSA) at the request of German outlet Bild showed on Saturday.

A similar poll was held by the German Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis Forsa earlier this month, which showed that 51% of Germans supported deliveries of offensive arms to Ukraine, while 37% of respondents opposed this.

Earlier this month, twenty prominent German scientists, cultural figures, politicians and other outstanding citizens, including former Bundestag Vice President Antje Vollmer, sent German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an open letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Ukraine. Signatories said in the letter that "Germany and other NATO countries have de facto made themselves a party to the war by delivering weapons," therefore Ukraine became "a battlefield for a conflict between NATO and Russia over the security order in Europe."

Earlier this week, Scholz said that the German military can no longer supply arms to Ukraine as weapons inventories are practically exhausted. Nevertheless, Scholz added that the German authorities were working with the country's arms-makers to ensure further deliveries.