In the first half of 2024, the German government approved the sale of the latest RCH 155 wheeled 155mm self-propelled artillery systems to Qatar. Instead, the country will transfer 12 PzH 2000 to Ukraine.

This was reported by BILD.

The German Aid to Ukraine project details that according to the German Ministry of Defense, 12 Qatari PzH 2000s cost about €150 million.

The total volume of German arms exports to Qatar in the first half of 2024 amounted to approximately €100 million, with RCH 155s making up the majority of this sum.

It is reported that the Qatari PzH 2000s will be delivered to Germany, undergo repairs, and only then will be sent to the Ukrainian arsenal.

It is known that the Qatari PzH 2000 fleet consists of 24 SPGs.

In addition, according to German Aid to Ukraine, Germany also bought Gepard systems from Qatar, which it had originally purchased to protect the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Ukraine’s partner countries have repeatedly used and continue to use similar arms exchange schemes to quickly meet the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

In March 2024, Militarnyi reported that the governments of France, Germany, and Italy are also negotiating the return of weapons accumulated by Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia over the years.

In the summer of 2023, it was reported that the United States bought back Gepard air defense systems from Jordan.

In general, the practice of buying back Soviet-style or more modern weapons from operating countries and offering them discounts on new weapons purchases or transfers is an effective tool to quickly meet the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The procurement, production, and transfer of new weapons can take years, while the transfer of older, existing systems can happen within months.