German FM announces delivery of IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine will take months

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said that delivery of IRIS-T air defence systems from Berlin to Ukraine will take months. In her address at the German Parliament, Baerbock said that Germany continues to support Ukraine and emphasized that they continue to support Ukraine with the "best" they can, DW reported. Her statement came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany would provide modern IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine. 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russian troops of destroying Ukrainian villages and cities "from a safe distance." She said that Russian forces in their military offensive have used missiles, warplanes with artillery and tanks in Ukraine. She highlighted that Ukraine requires weapons like artillery, drones and air defence weapons as they continue to defend their country against the Russian forces. 

Germany to send modern IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine

Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would provide modern IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine. In his address at the German Parliament, Bundestag, Scholz underscored that the delivery of the IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine will help them "protect an entire major city" from Russian airstrikes, as per the DW report. Olaf Scholz emphasized that Berlin has pledged to give Ukraine tracking radar which is capable to detect howitzers, mortars and rocket artillery. He further announced that Germany in cooperation with the United States will provide multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine. Notably, EU nations have been providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine ever since Russia launched its military offensive on February 24. 

Germany to send armoured vehicles to Greece in exchange for tanks to Ukraine

Meanwhile, Germany will provide modern armoured vehicles to Greece so that the government in Athens delivers Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. The development has been announced by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the end of a two-day European Council meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels, Politico reported. Scholz announced that he had discussed the tank exchange deal with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. 

Olaf Scholz has said that the defence ministers of Greece and Germany will discuss the deal regarding the tank swap in "very concrete terms" and work to implement the decision at the earliest.  The German Chancellor has not revealed the details regarding what kind of Soviet-era tanks will be sent to Ukraine. However, the Greek Defence Ministry has announced that they will be providing BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine and will get an "equal number" of German Marder infantry fighting vehicles in return.

Image: AP