First delivery of German heavy weaponry arrives in Ukraine as Zelensky urges West for more, quickly
- The Howitzer 2000 is the Bundeswehr’s most modern piece of artillery
- Ukraine complains it has only received a fraction of the heavy weaponry it needs
Seven German self-propelled Howitzer 2000s have arrived in Ukraine, marking the first delivery of German heavy weaponry to reach the country since the Russian invasion began almost four months ago.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov thanked his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht on Twitter for the weapons, while Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, also expressed his gratitude.
Melnyk however said Kyiv hoped “this was only the first important step in strengthening the defence capabilities of the Ukrainian army”, and called on the German government to keep the deliveries coming.
“The German defence industry is ready to produce 100 new self-propelled Howitzers for Ukraine at short notice. We very much hope that Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German Security Council will approve the relevant request,” Melnyk said.
The Howitzer 2000 is the Bundeswehr’s most modern piece of artillery. Resembling a huge tank, it can hit targets at a distance of 40km (25 miles).
Reznikov described the delivery as “an example of international cooperation in support of Ukraine”, adding that he appreciated the efforts of the German and Dutch defence ministers.