ZYelensky criticized Scholz for indecision in the issue of the supply of Leopard 2 tanks, Ukraine needs tanks for defense, Zelensky stressed. According to the president of the country, it is unclear to him why the German authorities are hesitating with supplies, and if “there is no political will on some issue, there is no need to look for excuses”
Vladimir Zelensky
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with ARD TV channel criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for indecision in the issue of transferring Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev.
According to Zelensky, he does not understand the position of the German authorities. “If you have Leopard tanks, give them to us. We also don’t attack if someone is worried about it. These tanks will not pass through the territory of Russia. We are defending ourselves,” he said (quoted by Tagesshau).
The Ukrainian leader noted that the decision to send weapons and equipment to Ukraine is political. “And if there is no political will on some issue, then there is no need to look for excuses. It is necessary to say “no”, and not to say that someone is not ready yet,” Zelensky believes.
Scholz had previously put forward a condition for the supply of German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if Washington also decides to supply its Abrams tanks. Zelensky, speaking via video link at a forum in Davos on January 19, said: “There are moments when there is no need to hesitate or compare. When you say, for example, “I will provide tanks if someone else also gives tanks,” or “I am powerful in Europe, I will help if someone outside Europe also helps.”.. It seems to me that this is not a very correct strategy.
Kiev asks Berlin to provide the Leopard 2 APU from the very beginning of hostilities in Ukraine. The German authorities have repeatedly stated that they will not do this alone. Earlier, The New York Times reported that Berlin and Washington are actively discussing this issue, and 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.
There are now about 2 thousand Leopard tanks of various modifications in European countries, the NYT wrote. Since they are manufactured by the Munich defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, for their delivery to Ukraine, the owners of the machines must obtain permission from Berlin to re-export them. Some, for example, Poland and Finland, expressed their readiness to transfer the Leopard company to Kiev as part of the international coalition.
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The Russian authorities claim that the West contributes to the prolongation of the conflict by supplying weapons. Russia will consider any shipments with Western weapons in Ukraine to be a legitimate target, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned.
Authors Person Tags
Vladimir Zelensky
politician, President of Ukraine
January 25, 1978
Strategies 60/40 predicted profitability
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