{"id":25259,"date":"2022-02-26T15:39:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-26T20:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25259"},"modified":"2022-02-26T18:44:55","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T23:44:55","slug":"germany-agrees-to-send-weapons-to-help-support-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25259","title":{"rendered":"Germany Agrees To Send Weapons To Help Support Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (AP\/Press Association Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The German government has said it will send weapons and other supplies directly to Ukraine, as Russia attempts to invade its capital city, Kyiv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of a significant shift, Germany is also ready to also support some restrictions of the Swift global banking system for Russia, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chancellery announced it will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 \u201cStinger\u201d surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine \u201cas quickly as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement: \u201cThe Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn this situation, it is our duty to help Ukraine, to the best of our ability, to defend itself against Vladimir Putin\u2019s invading army.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The news came shortly after the economy and climate ministry said Germany is allowing the Netherlands to ship 400 German-made anti-tank weapons to Ukraine. The government has also approved the shipment of 9 D-30 howitzers and ammunition originally from Estonia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany had long stuck to a policy of not exporting deadly weapons to conflict zones, including Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As recently as Friday, government officials said they would abide by that policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the country \u2013 which has the strongest economy in the 27-nation European Union \u2013 has faced criticism from Ukrainian officials and other allies that it has not acted decisively enough to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, Germany contributed 5,000 helmets to Ukraine\u2019s defense, a move that was mocked on Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the news of weapons shipments, posting praise for Mr Scholz on Twitter: \u201cKeep it up, Chancellor @OlafScholz! Anti-war coalition in action!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the German economy and climate ministry said on Saturday that Germany will send 14 armored vehicles and up to 10,000 tonnes of fuel to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter Russia\u2019s shameless attack, Ukraine must be able to defend itself,\u201d foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and economy minister Robert Habeck said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe federal government is therefore supporting Ukraine in providing urgently-needed material.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After earlier opposing the prospect of banning Russia from the Swift global financial system, Ms Baerbock and Mr Habeck said that Germany supports a \u201ctargeted and functional restriction\u201d of Swift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is needed is a strategy to \u201climit the collateral damage of decoupling from Swift in such a way that it affects the right people\u201d, the ministers said.<\/p>\n

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