Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speak to members of the press during a joint briefing at the Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Jan 19, 2023. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)
By Gary Raynaldo -DIPLOMATIC TIMES
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with newly appointed German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to push Berlin to transfer German-made tanks to Ukraine. Austin met Pistorius last Thursday just a few minutes after the German defense minister officially assumed the job. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appointed Pistorius, a former interior minister, as Berlin’s new defense boss. Pistorius replaced Christine Lambrech, who resigned as defense minister amid dwindling confidence in her abilities and response to the Ukraine war. The US Defense Secretary traveled to Germany to meet with top officials and join the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the US military’s Ramstein Air Base. Defense leaders from some 50 nations, many of them NATO countries, gathered at Ramstein Air Base to ponder how to supply Kyiv with more weapons. Many Western allies are calling on Germany to assume a leadership position in Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine given Berlin’s economic and military might. Germany has often been criticized for being too cautious in supplying arms. There has been ongoing pressure on Germany to allow the supply of tanks to Ukraine in the war with Russia. A U.S. senior defense official said speaking on background said what is essential at this point in Ukraine’s war with Russia is providing Ukraine with maneuver armor capabilities. The senior defense official added that the focus is on modern, mechanized armored capabilities, specifically tanks, and “Germany is the key to that capability.” He said the most immediately accessible and usable tank capability is the German Leopard 2. But there was no commitment from Germany on the issue of tanks as Berlin hedges on stepping up to the plate for fear of provoking Moscow. That explains Germany’s hesitancy to supply the Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine.
At the conclusion of the meeting at Ramstein Air Base, U.S. Defense Secretary Austin said the contact group members deepened their coordination and commitment to Ukraine. He said the nations are working together “very smoothly” to deliver to Ukraine the equipment it needs to defend its citizens and expel Russia from Ukraine’s borders.
“Germany remains one of our most important allies. Throughout the crisis caused by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Germany has remained a true friend of the United States and a staunch defender of our allies and values.”
-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is greeted upon arrival to the Ministry of Defense in Berlin by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ambassador Amy Gutmann Jan 19, 2023. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)
The Defense Secretary said the United States and Germany will continue to support the Ukrainian people as they resist Russian aggression and defend their sovereign territory. Pistorius said that Germany would support Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invaders alongside its allies.
