Berlin plans to deliver 12 additional PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery systems to Ukraine, on top of the 18 previously provided, as announced by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius during a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
According to Tagesspiegel, Kyiv will receive the first six PzH 2000 systems by the end of 2024, with the remaining six to follow in 2025. In addition, Germany, in collaboration with the Netherlands and Denmark, will supply Ukraine with 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks.
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However, Defense Express highlights several nuances in these announcements. Despite being widely presented in mass media as new aid, these plans were actually known in advance. The meeting simply reaffirmed Germany’s earlier commitments, with the new delivery timeline being the only update — and not a favorable one for Ukraine.
To begin with, the 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks mentioned in the announcement refer to a package promised in 2023. Some of these tanks have already been delivered, while a small number are still awaiting transfer.
Unfortunately, Germany did not provide any specific updates on when these remaining tanks will be sent. The following infographic featuring all weapons planned for transfer by the end of 2024, shown by the Bundeswehr a few weeks ago, Leopard 1A5 tanks aren't mentioned at all.
Regarding the PzH 2000 systems, the clarified delivery schedule is particularly disappointing. The intention to send 12 more units by the end of the year was previously discussed in an official Bundeswehr podcast featuring Maj. Gen. Christian Freuding, who oversees military aid to Ukraine.
Now it appears that these deliveries will be significantly delayed, with only six guns arriving every six months — an average pace of one artillery division per half-year.
Earlier, Defense Express also reported on Germany's commissioning nearly two dozen IRIS-T air defense systems to local manufacturers, slated for Ukraine. Similar to this case, these were not new allocations but rather procedural steps in fulfilling prior commitments.
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