The conflict has ended Germany’s three-decade post-Cold War era with a bang
A year on in the drizzle of the Munster army base, his brother Volodymyr seems much happier. As his eyes run approvingly over the sharp lines of a Leopard 2 battle tank, a half-smile plays on his lips.
In a landmark post-invasion speech last year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz – barely two months in the job – described Moscow’s war on Ukraine as a Zeitenwende – a watershed or turning point in history.Vitalii and Anatolii, two Ukrainian soldiers training on Marder and Leopards in the German army base in Munster. Photograph: Derek Scally
Overnight, Germany’s postwar pacifist culture ban on weapons exports to war zones went out the window. Berlin insists it will not be dragged into the conflict; it has supplied Ukraine with ammunition, missiles, air defence systems with training for 1,200 soldiers so far. A year on, Russia’s war on Ukraine has ended Germany’s three-decade post-Cold War era with a bang. Forced to face down its historical demons, Germany is now driving by sight and hoping for the best
Both men are used to ageing Soviet-era equipment and praise the modern Marder 1 A3 and Leopard 2 A6 on which they are training as “incredible”. German army officials in Munster say just one in five of the Ukrainians here to date have had any sort of military background, but all are highly motivated and anxious to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
Visiting the Munster base, Ukraine’s ambassador to Berlin Oleksii Makeiev says “Germany’s leadership role in the tank coalition should not be underestimated”. For him the key figure – “a man of his word” – is defence minister Boris Pistorius.“We have cleared the way now but see that not all who made demands then are acting now,” he said in Munster, a dig at those who demanded Germany deliver tanks and accused Berlin of blocking deliveries from others.
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