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German Chancellor Schulz faces pressure from inside to send arms to Ukraine

Germany’s chancellor is under growing pressure to authorize the delivery of heavy weaponry to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s looming eastern offensive, with Olaf Scholz’s coalition partners accusing him of failing to live up to his promises. The centre-left leader had surprised even close partners in his three-party coalition when on 27 February 2022 he announced an “epochal change” in Germany’s foreign policy to boost defense spending and relax its restrictive stance on exporting weapons to conflict zones.
The chancellor said early April 2022, that Germany had agreed with Ukraine on a list of requested weapons and other military gear, without giving details. Asked if the impression was correct that Germany won't be sending any battle tanks or war planes out of its own military stocks anytime soon, Mr Scholz avoided a clear answer. But, Germany has almost exhausted its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons from its army reserves, but is working on direct deliveries from the arms industry, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said
German Tanks
Ukraine has received offers of tanks from Rheinmetall, as well as other companies, including the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) arms group, according to media reports. However, some of the tanks could reportedly take many months to refurbish, while critics have also pointed out that Ukrainian soldiers would have to be trained to use them. Germany's position is that operators of weapons such as Marder and Leopard tanks need training before they could be used effectively by Ukraine's military. Instead, the government has suggested Poland and other eastern European partners could supply Soviet-era equipment and Germany can replace those with more modern gear.
Criticism of the German chancellor from the inside
The chancellor’s hesitation has caused a backlash from his coalition partners, the Greens and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP). While Cabinet members have so far refrained from public criticism - Annalena Baerbock
has only indicated to reporters that she’s in favor of delivering more advanced weapon systems - lawmakers have been more outspoken.
The FDP’s Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Bundestag’s defense committee, also urged Scholz in an interview with the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper to “swiftly” approve the delivery of tanks. Leading lawmakers from the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the main opposition party, have also pushed for supplying tanks.
Under no circumstances should it be disclosed what weapons and equipment German has supplied to Ukraine so far. The list last got updated early April 2022. A selection of the things listed includes: 500 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 2,700 Strela surface-to-air missiles from former East German stocks, 3,000 anti-tank guns, 100 MG 3 machine guns, 16 million rounds of ammunition for various types of hand-held weapons and hundreds of anti-tank mines. Also, 80 armored all-terrain vehicles, 50 medical Unimog trucks, 14 pallets of medical supplies, half a million one-man packs of rations, four drone defense systems, plus night vision equipment and binoculars.
German government is still Divided
Despite Russia's warning to America and NATO of "unexpected consequences" for sending "more sensitive" weapons to Ukraine, the German Minister of Justice stressed that sending heavy weapons to Ukraine, such as tanks, "Is not an entry into the war."
The pressures on the German chancellor from within the coalition and the German politicians are still mounting, demanding him to send and speed up more weapons, the Greens, Foreign Minister Anna Lina Berbock is leading these pressures, but despite that there are also voices calling for not to provide more weapons, and this means that the German government is still Divided by the war in Ukraine, over the issue of arms supplies and cut off energy imports from Russia.
By: Jassim Mohamad - Bonn
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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