German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government approved a delivery of weapons to Ukraine. AFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government approved a delivery of weapons to Ukraine. AFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government approved a delivery of weapons to Ukraine. AFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government approved a delivery of weapons to Ukraine. AFP

Germany lifts ban on sending lethal weapons to Ukraine


Nicky Harley
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Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Germany said it has approved the delivery of 400 rocket-propelled grenades to Ukraine by a third country.

The policy shift came after it faced criticism for refusing to send weapons to Kiev, as Western allies did.

Germany had a long-standing policy of not exporting weapons to war zones.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly referred to this in recent weeks when refusing to deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine.

But on Saturday, an EU official confirmed that Germany had agreed to allow the Netherlands to supply the weapons. Countries aiming to pass on German weapons exports need to apply for approval in Berlin.

The Netherlands Defence Ministry said on Saturday it will send anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.

It will supply 50 Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank weapons and 400 rockets, the ministry said in a letter to Parliament.

The Netherlands is also jointly considering with Germany sending a Patriot air defence system to a Nato battle group in Slovakia, it said

In the case of the rocket-propelled grenades, Germany had delivered them to a third country in the past, an EU diplomat told Reuters.

Germany is still in the process of considering a request by Estonia to pass GDR-era howitzers to Ukraine.

Finland bought them in the 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and later sold them to Estonia.

Earlier on Saturday, Germany sent its warship the Erfurt from the Wilhelmshaven naval base to reinforce the Nato naval unit.

The ship will join the Standing Nato Maritime Group 1 naval unit on sea routes in the North Atlantic, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Siemtje Moeller, German state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence, said it was "necessary to act resolutely" following the "unparalleled aggression" and the start of an "aggressive war" by Russia in Ukraine.

"We must send visible signs of alliance, solidarity and also, of deterrence," she said.

The transfer of the warship is part of Germany's contribution to strengthening Nato's northern flank against the backdrop of Russia's presence in Ukraine.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
THREE
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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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Updated: February 27, 2022, 4:50 AM`