Kyiv has reportedly asked the military bloc to urgently supply it with hundreds of thousands of uniforms and other equipment
NATO members have scraped the barrel in their efforts to provide Ukraine with adequate winter uniforms and field camp equipment, German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Monday. Kyiv has apparently urged the bloc to urgently provide the necessary equipment before the cold weather sets in.
According to Der Spiegel, Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov wrote a letter to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg back in late July, urging the military alliance to provide cold-resistant field tents along with clothing for as many as 200,000 Ukrainian soldiers. The uniforms and equipment should be delivered as soon as possible, the minister added, according to the paper.
Several NATO countries have since searched their warehouses for the necessary supplies. The organization confirmed to Der Spiegel that it is in contact with member states on the matter. According to reports cited by Der Spiegel, so far the United States and Canada, as well as Sweden and Finland, which have not yet joined the military group, have jointly pledged supplies that could cover up to 50% of Ukraine’s requirements.
However, military officials from various NATO members claim that most of their nations’ stockpiles are reserved for the national armies, says Der Spiegel. The defense alliance has reportedly offered to replace uniforms and equipment that member countries hand over to Kyiv, using the so-called NATO trust fund, which amounts to $40 million.
Germany also reportedly plans to join the effort, although it had previously struggled to equip its own troops with the necessary equipment, Der Spiegel said. By sending winter clothing and field camp equipment, Berlin can make “an important contribution” to Ukraine’s defense ahead of the approaching winter, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said.
According to Der Spiegel, the German military is “quite critical” of the idea of handing over its equipment to Ukraine. Lambrecht himself has previously repeatedly said that the German armed forces – the Bundeswehr – are about to reach the limits of what they can give away when it comes to weapons.
(RT.com)
Source: sn.dk