A week before the Ramstein talks, Poland is stepping up pressure on Germany with an attempt to supply Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine. His country has already made the decision to supply the Ukrainians with Leopard main battle tanks for a company as part of a coalition, President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday.
“Thank you to President Duda, the Polish government and all our Polish friends,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday night. Western-made tanks are “the work of our entire anti-war coalition and a new level of our potential”.
Leopard Company includes 14 main battle tanks
In Poland, as in Germany, a Leopard company is usually equipped with 14 main battle tanks. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has invited members of the so-called Ukraine Contact Group to a meeting on January 20 at US Air Force Base Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. It should go to the further arms aid. In addition to the US, Germany and Great Britain also belong to the Ukraine contact group.
Duda said the condition for handing over the Leopard main battle tanks was “a whole series of formal requirements and permits”. On the other hand, Poland wanted an international coalition to be formed to which other countries would also contribute “Leopard-type and other” main battle tanks. These should then be handed over to Ukraine in time to support the defense of the country attacked by Russia.
Germany must give permission
Germany plays a key role in the debate because the Leopard 2 tanks were developed in Germany and cannot be transferred to Ukraine without German approval. The German federal government gave no signs of a short-term change of course. According to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, it is “not very likely” that the attitude of the federal government will change before the meeting in Ramstein. He also said that there were no specific investigations.
Hebestreit said there was no known specific request from the Allies for Germany to supply main battle tanks itself. “We have different types of air defense systems, we have armored personnel carriers now, but we have also provided and continue to provide many other troop carriers and such. We are closely monitoring the situation on the ground,” he said.
Kiev assumes German deliveries
Despite Berlin’s current no, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba assumes that Germany will supply Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine. “Even if Germany had certain rational arguments not to do it, Germany will do it at a later date,” Kuleba said in an interview with the ARD “Tagesschau”. So was self-propelled howitzers, Marder tanks and the Patriots’ air defense system, he explained.
The British are also taking the initiative
The British government also hinted at an initiative. “It is clear that main battle tanks can provide crucial capabilities to the Ukrainians and the prime minister told President Zelenskyy last week that Britain will provide what it can,” said a spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Britain will accelerate aid and provide Ukraine with “the kind of military technology that will help win the war”. According to media reports, London is considering delivery of Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
The US moves tanks to NATO’s eastern flank
Meanwhile, a large number of American tanks and military vehicles reached the Dutch port of Vlissingen. The device will be deployed on NATO’s eastern flank in Poland and Lithuania. A total of about 1,250 military devices are expected, said the responsible US soldier Robert Kellam on Wednesday. These include US Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and the M-1 Abrams main battle tank.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
