German ambassador: Decision not yet made about Estonia's howitzers

The Estonian Defense Forces using 122-millimeter howitzers.
The Estonian Defense Forces using 122-millimeter howitzers. Source: Kaitsevägi

Germany has not yet made a decision about granting Estonia permission to send German-made weapons to Ukraine, the German Ambassador to Estonia said on Wednesday.

Speaking to ETV's current affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK), Christiane Hohmann said the issue is currently being discussed amongst the German government and with Finland.

Hohmann told AK: "The request is currently under evaluation in Berlin. As Germany has a restrictive arms export policy, there are several authorities who need to examine the request – and that is the ongoing process."

Asked if she knew what the outcome may be, she said: "Unfortunately, I cannot speculate what the answer will be. We will have to wait for the result of this arms export audit. But what I do know, is that the answer will be there in days and weeks - rather than in months."

Estonia wants to send Javelin missiles and howitzers to Ukraine but first needs permission from countries of origin, which in this case are Germany, Finland and the U.S.A.

The U.S.A. has already granted permission for Estonia to send Javelin missiles, but it was reported in the media last week that Germany is refusing to grant permission for the howitzers.

As of Thursday, Estonia is still waiting for permission from Finland and Germany.

Finland is not a member of NATO and while Germany is, the country has come under fire for a perceived slowness to respond to the crisis on the eastern Ukrainian border where Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops.

"Germany has not supported the export of lethal weapons in recent years," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a news conference on Friday.

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Editor: Helen Wright

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