Poland wants to support its neighbor with battle tanks against the Russian invaders. According to Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, Germany has received the necessary official request from Warsaw to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Because the main battle tanks are German-made, approval from the German government is required before Poland can hand over its tanks to Ukraine. Blaszczak called on Berlin on Twitter to “join the coalition of countries that support Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks”. At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for the delivery of new weapons during a visit to Berlin.
“Make it clear to Putin that he cannot win”
“At this crucial moment in the war, we need to provide Ukraine with heavier and more advanced systems, and we need to do it faster,” Stoltenberg said after talks with new Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) in Berlin. “The only way to lasting peace is to make it clear to Putin that he will not win on the battlefield,” Stoltenberg said. Ukrainian troops should be able to fend off the Russians “Not just to survive, but to win, recapture territory and exist as a sovereign, independent state in Europe.”
At the same time, Stoltenberg acknowledged the help Germany had given Ukraine so far. Of Ukraine’s allies, Berlin provides the “most comprehensive military, financial and humanitarian support” to Kiev, he said. “Weapons from Germany save lives in Ukraine every day.” As for the supply of Leopard main battle tanks, he was also “confident that we will soon have a solution”.
Pistorius: Germany not isolated
After the conversation with Stoltenberg, Pistorius held out a decision from Germany “soon”. He has “expressly encouraged” other partner countries that already have Leopard 2 tanks to train Ukrainian soldiers on them. The defense minister explained that Berlin is already “in the leading group” of countries that support Ukraine – receiving a lot of encouragement from the likes of France and the US. Contrary to what is often portrayed, Germany is not internationally isolated on this point.
The research on the leopard population he started Friday is “almost complete,” Pistorius said. It’s “not about counting how many tanks we have, we know that.” Rather, the federal government wants to examine the “stocks and potential” of the defense industry and investigate the compatibility of the Leopard tanks. Germany will “be able to act very quickly”. Recently, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) made it clear that her government would not block Polish tank exports. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) doubted this for a long time.
“Deliveries do not bode well”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned of a further deterioration in German-Russian relations if the German government ordered Leopard main battle tanks to be delivered to Ukraine. “Such deliveries do not bode well for the future of relations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. They would leave unavoidable traces. The relationship is already at a certain low point. There is currently no dialogue with Berlin or with other EU and NATO countries, Peskow said.
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.
