BOXER-MAYOR HITS GERMANS
Kyiv's Klitschko rips 'helmet' aid
The mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, pulled no punches against the German government Wednesday after Berlin committed to supplying Ukraine with 5,000 military helmets in the face of a potential Russian invasion.
“The behavior of the German government leaves me speechless,” Klitschko, who was elected mayor in 2014, told the German tabloid Bild, according to Reuters. “The Defense Ministry apparently hasn’t realized that we are confronted with perfectly equipped Russian forces that can start another invasion of Ukraine at any time.” “What kind of support will Germany send next?” Klitschko added. “Pillows?”
Earlier Wednesday, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced Berlin would be sending 5,000 helmets to support Ukraine’s armed forces. “I received a letter from the Ukrainian embassy, requesting support with military equipment, helmets to be precise,” Lambrecht told reporters. “We will supply Ukraine with 5,000 helmets — as a clear signal: We are at your side.” It is unclear if the helmets would be donated or paid for by Ukraine’s government.
Trying to ‘de-escalate’
“This is equipment, not weapons, but it helps,” Lambrecht added. “This is exactly how we will continue to work in this conflict. We are working towards reaching a peaceful solution to this conflict in the middle of Europe.” Germany has said it would not send weapons to Ukraine despite the growing tensions with Russia. “We are standing on Kyiv’s side,” Lambrecht said in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. “We have to do everything to de-escalate. Currently, arms deliveries would not be helpful in this respect; there is agreement on this in the Germany government.” On Tuesday, Ukraine received a third shipment of American military equipment — including lethal and nonlethal defense items — as part of $200 million in aid approved by President Biden last month. The 79-ton shipment included 300 Javelin anti-tank missiles.
The US also has approved the dispatch of American-made weapons to Ukraine from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.