The United States and Germany have announced that they will supply armored personnel carriers to Ukraine as part of the war launched under a mandate from Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022.
U.S. leader Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have agreed in a phone call to send Western-designed vehicles, after the day before, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron promised Kiev the «first battle tanks» of French manufacture.
«The United States intends to supply Ukraine with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and Germany intends to provide Ukraine with Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Both countries plan to train Ukrainian forces on the respective systems,» reads a White House statement.
Berlin, which has not specified how many vehicles will be supplied, has promised to send Marder infantry vehicles, developed for the Bundeswehr–German Armed Forces–more than 50 years ago, reports the German news agency DPA.
Biden and Scholz have made this announcement «in light of Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure,» stressing their «intention to continue to support Ukraine’s urgent requirement for air defense capabilities.»
Both leaders have also reiterated «their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence,» while reaffirming «their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s aggression.»
For his part, the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, wanted to express his gratitude to Biden and Scholz «for the decision to strengthen» the defense of the country, a decision he described as «important».
«We will have another Patriot battery and powerful armored vehicles: this is really a great victory for our country,» Zelenski assured.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
