Bloomberg: next week, Germany may allow the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine, Berlin will make a decision on helping Ukraine with combat tanks before the meeting of defense ministers in Ramstein, Bloomberg has learned. It is still unclear whether this will be a permit for re-export from other countries, or Germany will decide to supply tanks itself
The government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is likely to allow the supply of Leopard heavy tanks to Ukraine, a decision on this will be made next week, before the meeting of the defense ministries of the allied countries at the Ramstein airbase, which is scheduled for January 20. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to two officials familiar with the position of the German government.
According to them, German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht will announce a clear decision on Leopard supplies at a meeting in Ramstein. Another source told the agency that pressure on Berlin from the allies on this issue is increasing.
“Now there are signs that Scholz may be ready to drop his initial objection to sending Leopard tanks or allow countries such as Poland and Finland to re-export their own Leopard to Ukraine, which requires Berlin’s consent,” the agency writes.
It is not yet clear whether Germany will only allow other countries to send Leopard tanks, or whether it will start deliveries itself. In addition to Leopard 2 tanks, there are 180 older Leopard 1 tanks in Germany. German officials note that the Leopard 1, released in the 1960s, will still be able to compete with Russian battle tanks.
In addition, the British The Guardian, citing Ukrainian officials, reported that Kiev expects on Monday, January 16, an announcement of London’s readiness to transfer ten Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. The newspaper’s interlocutors believe that such a step will help Chancellor Olaf Scholz decide to supply Leopard tanks.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that active negotiations are underway between Washington and Berlin on the supply of tanks to Ukraine. The United States has not confirmed its desire to supply the Ukrainian army with Abrams tanks, while Chancellor Scholz is coming under increasing pressure from allies who demand his consent to supply Leopard tanks.
Read on RBC Pro The Third World and Poland is a superpower: what awaits the world in the XXI century A sip of youth: why plain water is the best way to slow down aging “Your time is up”. How not to fail the trial period Morning exercise: a 15-minute complex for every day
According to the sources of the publication, Scholz does not want to be the first to agree to the transfer of tanks to Ukraine, and thus spoil “special relations” with Russia in the future.
Earlier, Poland and Finland announced their agreement to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine within the framework of the international coalition. According to the NYT, there are now about 2 thousand Leopard tanks of various modifications in Europe.
The Russian authorities criticize Western countries for supplying weapons to Ukraine. Moscow claims that such actions lead to a prolongation of the conflict and do not contribute to its settlement.
Authors Tags Subscribe to RuTube RBC Live broadcasts, videos and recordings of broadcasts on our RuTube channel