German chancellor Scholz is facing increasing pressure to ramp up heavy weapons supplies to Ukraine, Politico reports.
The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union opposition block had requested a vote on a Bundestag motion that urges the government to “immediately” allow the export of German battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
“That would have been tantamount to a vote of no-confidence in Scholz’s Ukraine strategy, since the chancellor has repeatedly ruled out such deliveries as long as other Western allies don’t deliver similar heavy gear,” Politico writes.
Leading politicians from Scholz’s “traffic light” coalition have also demanded the delivery of German Leopard battle tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
However, after a debate, the majority of lawmakers voted to send the motion to the foreign affairs committee, which delays a plenary vote for several weeks.
