Asked by POLITICO on the sidelines of a NATO leaders’ summit in the Spanish capital, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttesaid his “big concern at the moment” was the “difficult” military situation in eastern Ukraine, where Russian troops have made slow but constant advances in recent weeks. “It is incredibly important that Ukraine is getting supplied with sufficient heavy weapon systems,” Rutte added.
The Dutch leader said that Germany and Netherlands had already beefed up their engagement by announcing they will send six state-of-the-art Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers to Ukraine, in addition to 12 of the same pieces of artillery that the two countries delivered last week.
Read more: It Became Known What Weapons Italy Will Give to Ukraine
While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttesaid that his country didn’t have many more heavy weapons to send, he stressed that “Italy has decided to contribute as well.”
Asked whether this meant that Italy would also send the German-made Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers, which Rome has in its army stocks, Rutte replied that “we still have to see” whether it will be the Panzerhaubitzes, but added that “they [the Italians] have said that in addition to what the Netherlands and Germany are doing, they will be supplying similar material.”
At the same time, according to information published by the Italian newspaper "Il Mattino" website on June 29, 2022, the Italian police would have stopped trucks transporting PzH 2000 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers came from the military base of Persano. The convoy included a total of 5 trucks each carrying one PzH 2000 howitzer, three of the trucks did not have the authorization to transport military equipment, and only two trucks were able to continue their way towards Germany.
If information will be proved, Italy would then be the 3rd NATO country to supply PzH 2000 155mm howitzers to Ukraine after the Netherlands and Germany. Indeed, in May 2022, Netherlands and Germany approved the delivery of 12 PzH 2000, 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. The Netherlands has provided five examples to Ukraine while Germany has supplied seven. On June 29, 2022, the German Defense Minister Lambrechts announced a new delivery of six additional PzH 2000 howitzers to Ukraine.
On April 27, 2022, the Army Recognition editorial team reported that Italy considered different options for delivering arms to Ukraine including 155mm artillery howitzers PzH 2000, M109L, as well as Sidam 25, tracked air defense armored vehicles, M113A1 and VCC-1 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles, Iveco VM90 and LMV 4x4 light tactical vehicles.
Citing a military source, the Italian army has a total of 69 PzH 2000. The donation of 5 howitzers to Ukraine would not jeopardize the operational capabilities of the Italian army.
Read more: PzH 2000 Self-propelled Howitzers Arrived at the Frontline in Ukraine
