Germany approves €2.24b in arms for Ukraine in 2022
Berlin signed off on €8.9 billion in arms exports during this year, with more than a quarter of that heading to Ukraine. The intelligence service said there had been over 4,500 cyberattacks since the war began
Germany's government gave the greenlight to arms exports amounting to at least €8.9 billion ($8.48 billion) this year, making it the second-highest annual figure ever, according to the German Economy Ministry following a request from Left Party (Die Linke) lawmaker Sevim Dagdelen.
Over a quarter of the weapons and military equipment sent during the course of the year has gone to Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion.
Germany's coalition government had sought to reduce exports of arms after coming to power but had to change tack after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
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In the face of severe criticism over the country's postwar policy of not providing lethal aid to conflict zones, the Scholz administration announced a reversal of that policy as part of the country's military and security politics "Zeitenwende" or "turning point" announced shortly after the invasion began.
Germany has made deliveries worth €2.24 billion including anti-aircraft tanks, multiple rocket launches, the IRIS-T air defence system and self-propelled howitzers, among other pieces of military equipment.
The official figures are expected to be announced in January.
Separately, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the chairwoman of the parliamentary defense committee, told German news agency RND that the federal government needed to have a better strategy in place to deal with what was happening in Ukraine.
Strack-Zimmerman also questioned the wisdom of not sending battle tanks to help Ukraine and said the decision was "not only incomprehensible, it is alarmingly short-sighted."
