Germany's 'Absolute Deficit' in Weapon Reserves Impedes Supplies to Ukraine, FM Baerbock Says

BERLIN (Sputnik) - The reserves of German armed forces (Bundeswehr) are depleted to the point when Berlin cannot step up weapons deliveries to Ukraine, but Berlin remains unwavering in its military support to Kiev, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.

"It is a fine line that we have been walking for days and weeks. On the one hand, we want to provide military support to it [Ukraine] with everything we have, but on the other, the situation here is unfortunately one of an absolute deficit in our own reserves," Baerbock told German broadcaster ZDF.

According to the official, the German government set up a special fund of 100 billion euros ($99.9 billion) to tackle the shortage and support the Bundeswehr, so that the military industry "actively produces materiel" for Ukraine "not only in the coming months, but in the years to come."

"We will unequivocally continue this military support," the foreign minister said, adding that Kiev will receive air defense systems in the next several weeks, with other supplies slated for 2023.

On Sunday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the new deliveries to Ukraine will include the Cobra radar system and the IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Controlled) air defense systems.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock listens to questions of lawmakers about the German government Ukrainian policy during a session of the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

© AP Photo / Markus Schreiber

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.

In response, the United States and its allies launched comprehensive sanctions against Russia and boosted military assistance for Ukraine, including by supplying it with lethal weapons.