The Netherlands and Denmark are still not supplying Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, much to the disappointment of EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell. “The problem is that the tanks are not ours,” says BNR foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg.
“Countries have been pointing fingers at Germany for so long, but they’re not following suit,” Borrell says, but Hammelburg points out that the tanks are on lease. ‘Initially, the Netherlands were too keen to promise those tanks, but discussions arose about them. The Danes have the same problem. Germany wants to supply those tanks itself. There is still confusion.”
‘My impression is that not only the Germans, but also most of the European countries want to stand still’
Hammelburg has the impression that the entire Leopard 2 plane is falling into the water. ‘Not only from the Netherlands, but also from other countries who want to, but can’t. Or those who have tanks that need to be repaired for a long time. Now we fall back to the Leopard 1 of which there are many, but it comes from the early 80s and has less armature and less electronics.
Air offensive
According to Hammelburg, many military experts believe that the need to deliver Leopard 2 tanks quickly will decrease as Russian air activity increases. The impression is that the Russians are preparing an air offensive and ‘then tanks are of little use’.
In total, there are around 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks in circulation in 13 countries. It was originally planned that each country would supply 10 tanks to meet the needs of Ukrainian tanks, “but we don’t hear anything about that anymore either.” “My impression is that not only Germans, but also most European countries want to stand still.”
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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.
