Photo: Philipp Schulze/DPA/PICTURE ALLIANCE / Deutsche Welle
The German government approved the shipment of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and is willing to authorize the transfer to that country of these combat vehicles, according to media information published this Tuesday (01.24.2023).
According to the weekly The Spiegel, Germany will supply at least one company of the Leopard 2A6 modelwhich will come from the German army (Bundeswehr).
Shortly before, the German government had signaled that it would treat Poland’s earlier request for permission to transfer 14 Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine to help it deal with the Russian invasion as an emergency, a spokesman said Tuesday. “We will process the request with the urgency required in accordance with the established procedure,” he said.
The Polish defense minister previously said on Twitter that had asked Germany for authorization to re-export the Leopard 2 to Ukrainewhich are German-made armored vehicles.
“I also call on the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks,” he added.
The government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been under pressure to approve NATO members to deliver main battle tanks to Ukraine, but has so far been reluctant.
Poland and Finland have offered to deliver the Leopards they have, but they need official approval from Germany before they can be shipped.
“I hope this answer from the Germans will come soon this timebecause the Germans are delaying, putting off, acting in a way that is difficult to understand,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters.
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