Ukraine Summons Ambassador to Protest Germany's Refusal to Transfer Weapons

Soldiers deployed on the Donetsk front in Ukraine. (Photo by VOA)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the German ambassador stationed in Kyiv to protest Germany's refusal to transfer weapons.

On the 22nd (local time), according to Sputnik News and others, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret in a statement, saying, "We are deeply disappointed by the German government's stance of not providing defensive weapons to Ukraine."

The Ministry also stated, "We absolutely cannot accept the remarks made by the head of the German Navy that the Crimean Peninsula will never be returned to Ukraine and that we cannot meet the membership criteria of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)."

Furthermore, the Ministry added that it hopes Germany will take a more proactive stance in strengthening and supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities amid the threat of a large-scale Russian invasion.

Earlier, Germany recently rejected Estonia, a NATO member country,’s request to approve the transfer of German-made 122mm D-30 howitzers to Ukraine.

Germany stated that it maintains its existing policy of refraining from exporting weapons to regions with military tensions.