German opposition demands permission to ship tanks to Ukraine from Spain

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The sale of weapons to other countries is accompanied by a so-called final destination clause whereby the buyer is obliged to request permission from Berlin for possible resale to a third state.

The conservative opposition and leading politicians of Germany’s ruling parties have demanded that the federal government swiftly authorize and grant export approvals for Spain’s announced delivery of “Leopard 2” main battle tanks to Ukraine. “If Spain wants to deliver the ‘Lepopard 2’, the federal government must urgently make it possible,” Johann Wadephul, vice-chairman of the Christian Democratic Union and Bavarian Social Christian Union (CDU/CSU) group, said in published statements. . by the newspaper on Tuesday Augsburger Allgemeinen. “Germany abandons Ukraine every day that heavy weapons do not reach that country,” Wadephul added. After noting that Ukraine is in danger of losing the war in Donbas, the conservative politician emphasizes that “the lives of innocent people are at stake, but so is the defense of Europe against an imperialist aggressor”.

“I hope that the federal government will quickly and proactively grant the necessary export license,” said Roderich Kiesewetter, a foreign affairs expert at the CDU, in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The chairman of the Defense Commission in the Bundestag, Marie Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, has also requested rapid German permission for the shipment of these weapons. “I hope the Federal Economy Minister Robert Habeck will grant this permission immediately,” the liberal politician told Spiegel Online, emphasizing that “we do not have time for debates. Given the heavy Russian artillery attacks on Ukrainian targets, it is urgent action needed.”

Spanish media had revealed on Monday, citing sources from Spain’s Defense Ministry, that the Madrid executive is preparing to send some 40 German-made “Leopard 2 A4” tanks to Ukraine, as well as anti-aircraft fire. missiles, to Ukraine. To export these battle tanks, the Spanish authorities need the express permission of the German federal government, a tripartite of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Liberals (FDP) led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Spain’s defense minister, Margarita Robles, declined to confirm or deny this information Monday, stating that it is an “extremely sensitive matter” requiring “great discretion”.

The sale of German weapons to other countries is usually accompanied by a so-called final destination clause whereby the buyer is obliged to request permission from Berlin for possible resale to a third state. It is not known whether this was the case at the time, although Berlin has not yet received a request from Madrid to facilitate the shipment of these weapons to Ukraine, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The president of the European Commission in the Bundestag, the federal parliament, the green Anton Hofreiter, has also put pressure on the German executive so that Ukraine gets more ammunition in addition to heavy weapons from the countries that support it in the war against Russia. “Ukraine is currently running out of ammunition,” Hofreiter told Die Welt newspaper, stressing that “it needs large stocks of ammunition quickly” of all calibers.

Source: La Verdad

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