ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2022) Greece will supply BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine in exchange for German Marders under a new agreement between the two countries, the Greek defense ministry said on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Greece will transfer its Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine in exchange for heavy machinery provided by Berlin. The chancellor noted that he reached this agreement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the meeting in Brussels earlier in the day.
"The Ministry of National Defense informs that following previous discussions and following today's meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the transfer of East German-made armored infantry vehicles of the BMP-1 type (received in 1994) were agreed to (be sent to) Ukraine along with their simultaneous replacement with the same number of German-made Marder armored fighting vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.
Germany and Greece will work to implement the deal as fast as possible, the statement added.
On February 27, Athens supplied Ukraine with 40 tonnes of "defense equipment" via the territory of Poland. Since then, the Greek government has repeatedly stated that it will no longer be sending new weaponry to Kiev not to undermine its own defensive capabilities. The announcements of new shipments of Greek heavy weapons to Kiev have drawn harsh criticism from the opposition, which has accused Athens of undermining national security and hiding details of deals from the population.�
