China News Agency, Berlin, April 26 (Reporter Ma Xiuxiu) German Defense Minister Lambrecht announced on the 26th that Germany will provide Ukraine with anti-aircraft tanks.
The move marks a major change in Germany's policy after it refused to supply Ukraine with heavier weapons.
On the same day, US Secretary of Defense Austin and NATO allies and some other countries' defense ministers held a special meeting at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.
The meeting was attended by representatives of more than 40 countries and focused on the security situation in Ukraine.
Lambrecht announced at the meeting that Germany will provide Ukraine with "Cheetah" anti-aircraft tanks.
Allegedly, the German federal government made the above decision on Monday (25th).
It is reported that the German military enterprise Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann) has technically refurbished 50 "Cheetah" anti-aircraft tanks in the inventory of the Bundeswehr and has been approved for sale to Ukraine.
The tanks, from the defunct German Army Air Defense Forces, were used against ground targets in addition to air targets.
Last week, plans for a circular exchange of heavy weapons between the German federal government and Eastern European countries were made public.
Lambrecht also said that an agreement had been made with Eastern European countries on the delivery of weapons in the circular exchange process.
These Eastern European countries sent the former Soviet equipment to Ukraine, and Germany sent equipment to these Eastern European countries to fill the gap.
In addition, Lambrecht pointed out that Germany is also preparing to strengthen the training of Ukrainian soldiers.
For example, the German side will, like the US side, train Ukrainian soldiers in Germany on the use of artillery systems; it will also jointly set up further training programs with the Netherlands on the application of howitzers.
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