German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses a press conference at the end of an European Union summit on Ukraine, defence and energy, in Brussels on May 31, 2022. The 27-nation bloc leaders agreed to a sixth package of sanctions that will see the majority of Russian oil stopped, but exempted supplies by pipeline in a concession to hold-out Hungary.
JOHN THYS / AFP

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday he had agreed to a deal with Greece that would see Athens send Soviet-era military vehicles to Ukraine in exchange for more modern armour from Berlin.

“We will provide German armoured personnel carriers,” Scholz said after an EU summit in Brussels.

Germany has already struck similar agreements to help supply weaponry to Ukraine with the Czech Republic and is currently negotiating one with Poland.

The goal is to supply Ukraine with vitally needed weapons from old Soviet-era stocks that it can quickly put into battle as it tries to halt Russia’s invasion.

Germany wants to deliver 14 Leopard battle tanks and one Leopard armoured vehicle to Prague in exchange for the Czechs sending T-72 tanks to Ukraine.

However, no date has yet been set for the delivery.

A planned swap with Poland that was meant to see Warsaw receive modern substitutes for equipment sent to Ukraine has also yet to materialise.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has accused Berlin of not keeping its promises over the hardware.

The German government has faced criticism from Kyiv and domestic opponents for being too slow at sending weapons to Ukraine.