The tank ring exchange is intended to bring weapons of Soviet design to Ukraine. The supplying countries such as Poland are to receive weapons from Germany as compensation. The idea behind it is commendable, according to Warsaw, but the implementation by the federal government is "unacceptable".
Poland has sharply criticized the federal government in connection with the planned exchange of rings for arms deliveries to Ukraine. "The German promises to swap tank rings have turned out to be deceptive maneuvers," Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told Der Spiegel. From the Polish point of view, the German offers are unacceptable, so they are now relying on the help of other NATO partners.
First, the Germans offered the Poles tanks "that were older than the ones we gave Ukraine," he said. This offer is "not to be accepted because we have no interest in deteriorating the condition of our armament and in training our soldiers on equipment from the 1960s". "A symbolic number of tanks was offered," says the deputy foreign minister. "It's hard to take this as a serious suggestion after we've delivered over 200 tanks to Ukraine in two months." That's why Poland prefers to talk to other NATO partners "who are really willing to help us." According to him, Poland is already receiving tanks from the United States and Great Britain.
From Germany came insight from the FDP. "The idea of exchanging rings makes sense, but it's not going the way we imagined it," said Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann of the "Rheinische Post". "We must then also have the courage to admit that things are not working as we had imagined and should, if necessary, deliver directly to Ukraine instead," emphasized the chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag.
The tank ring exchange was actually intended to enable the rapid delivery of heavy war equipment, which is familiar to the soldiers in Ukraine. Germany had announced that it would replace or help NATO partners in the east. However, it has been stagnating for weeks. No more public information was recently given in Berlin on the exact state of affairs. In addition to Poland, the federal government had also agreed ring exchange deals with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.
To strengthen its armed forces, Poland procured replacements from South Korea. Warsaw is interested in 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said. The first aircraft would arrive in Poland as early as next year. There are also South Korean K2 "Black Panther" battle tanks. In the future, Poland will also build and develop these tanks under license.
