Germany said on Friday it wanted to deliver about 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine by the end of March, and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said Berlin may eventually send its entire operational fleet of armored vehicles, Reuters reported.

Marder vehicles Photo: Michael Sohn/AP/Profimedia

Germany announced Thursday that it will supply Ukraine with Marder vehicles, stepping up military support for Kyiv to repel Russian forces. The announcement came on the same day that the United States pledged to develop the Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and a day after a similar announcement by France, which said it would send the AMX-10 RC light armored vehicles.

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Government spokesman Steffen Hebeshreit said that in the first quarter, the Patriot anti-aircraft missile complex from the army’s reserves will also be delivered to Ukraine. And Washington offered Patriot to Ukraine.

Training on the Marder machine will take place in Germany and last about eight weeks, Hebestreit added.

Speaking in Brevik, Norway, Vice Chancellor Habek said that Germany should send “all working Marder machines” to Ukraine.

Khabek did not specify what the exact number would be. Germany once had hundreds of Marders, but has phased out the Cold War-era vehicles in favor of the new Pumas it has purchased to replace them.

Thursday’s announcement came as Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a wave of calls from his tripartite coalition to step up military support for Ukraine following France’s announcement that it was sending AMX-10 RC combat vehicles.

After the invasion, Scholz increased defense spending and sent aid and weapons to Ukraine, but sometimes hesitated before providing powerful weapons, fearing the risk of direct conflict with Russia.