Berlin to supply arms to Greece, Athens to deliver Soviet weapons to Kyiv -Scholz

FILE PHOTO: A Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicle of the German army Bundeswehr takes part in an exercise during a media day in Munster

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Germany will deliver infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to Greece so that the government in Athens can pass on Soviet-style weapons to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday.

“We will provide Greece with German infantry fighting vehicles,” he told reporters after a two-day EU summit in Brussels, adding he had struck an agreement with the Greek prime minister.

Scholz gave no details as to what kind of infantry fighting vehicles Berlin will hand over to Greece – or what kind of weapons Athens will pass on to Kyiv.

“The defence ministries will work out the details and quickly implement this agreement,” he said.

According to a defence source, Berlin aims to deliver some 100 old Marder IFVs owned by arms-maker Rheinmetall to Greece.

Athens, in return, would supply Soviet-style BMP IFVs to Ukraine, the source told Reuters.

Germany has been criticized for dragging its feet on heavy arms deliveries to Kyiv.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Riham Alkousaa, Editing by Maria Sheahan and Angus MacSwan)

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