If it is up to Ukraine, twelve Western countries will supply Leopard tanks. The Netherlands is also on the list of countries called upon to send German-made tanks “in view of the urgency of strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities”. However, the Netherlands itself does not own any modern Leopard 2 tanks, the army leases eighteen from Germany.
“We guarantee that we will use these weapons responsibly and exclusively for the defense of the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” said Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuliba and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. The other affected countries are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.
Germany reluctant
Poland and Finland have already indicated their willingness to supply the tanks, but Berlin’s permission is needed. Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, is reluctant and, according to media reports, wants the US to commit heavy tanks to Ukraine first. The UK has already announced the delivery of fourteen tanks.
“This war poses a very grave danger to the Euro-Atlantic community, given Russia’s overt goals to destroy the European security order and undermine the viability of democracy,” the two ministers write. They point out that Russia has much more troops, weapons and military equipment. “This is why we are calling on all partner states that have already provided or are planning to provide military assistance.”
Ramstein
The two ministers’ call comes a day before a meeting of dozens of Ukraine’s allies in Ramstein, Germany. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has already revealed that it will be decided to supply Ramstein with ‘heavier and more modern’ weapons, but it is not clear whether he also referred to the Leopard tanks.
Lithuania’s defense minister said on Thursday that several countries will announce to Ramstein that they will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Minister Arvydas Anusauskas also told Reuters that hundreds of armored vehicles will be engaged.
However, Germany has not yet received any applications for permission to export Leopard tanks to Ukraine, a government source in Berlin said. The Polish prime minister said he was rather pessimistic that the permit would be granted.
The command of the Ukrainian army has previously indicated that an offensive against Russian troops with three hundred tanks can lead to military successes. President Volodimir Zelensky has urged allies to act urgently.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
