German Marder IFVs intended for Greece far from reaching Ukraine battlefield.

According to a report in the German press earlier this week, there was a disagreement that the German Marder 1A3 IFVs bound for Greece will change course and strengthen Ukraine's army. A phone conversation between the two ministers served to clarify this and now shows how the original agreement is being implemented normally.
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German-made Marder IFV at the military parade in Thessaloniki, in October 2022 (Picture source: Rheinmetall Defense)

Immediately after the talks that Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos had with his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht, it became known from circles in the Greek Defense Ministry that another six Marder 1A3 IFVs, replacing the outdated BMP-1s that Greece gave to Ukraine, will be delivered this January month in Greece, which means that 50% of the ring exchange (Ringtauch) will be correctly carried out.

The same sources note that, according to the delivery schedule, the remaining 20 Marders should be on Greek soil before Easter (10 April), and the German side said it is not impossible that they will arrive earlier.

So the contractually guaranteed, simultaneous and equivalent replacement of the Greek BMP-1s by Marders should be respected. The two Defence ministers also discussed further strengthening of bilateral defense cooperation and developments in Ukraine. Ministry circles from Greece said the deal is being carried out normally and that is the intention of both sides.

Let us recall that, on January 5, 2023, Germany (hardly) accepted to supply 40 Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine. But Germany expresses difficulties in supplying those 40 Marder IFVs to Ukraine, hence the idea of asking Greece whether ''their'' Marders could be rerouted to Ukraine. Out of question, for the time being, it appears.