German Defense Chief Says Tanks for Ukraine Not Linked to US
(Bloomberg) -- Germany’s new defense minister, Boris Pistorius, signaled that the government in Berlin may change its position on supplying — or allowing allies to supply — Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine.
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When asked by public broadcaster ARD on Thursday if the U.S. sending its M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine would be a precondition for Germany supplying Leopards, Pistorius said: “I’m not aware of such a package deal.”
Pressure is building on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to supply the heavy battle tanks to Ukraine in the event the Russian offensive accelerates in the spring. At a meeting with the US and its allies in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday, Pistorius’ statement raised hopes that Berlin might soon give up its resistance to delivering the Leopards.
Although Scholz hasn’t publicly linked the supply of U.S. Abrams tanks with Germany’s Leopards, he has repeatedly stressed that Berlin would only act in lockstep with the the Americans. Germany also needs to give the green light for other countries to export their stock of German-made Leopards.
At the start of the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to allies to “write history” in Ramstein by giving the OK for battle tanks. “Don’t bargain about the different numbers of tanks, but open a principle supply which will stop Russian evil,” he said in a video address.
The Leopard 2 tanks in particular are in the spotlight due to their sheer quantity. European allies own hundreds of the German-built tanks, in different varieties, which could spread the burden across a greater number of countries. Poland alone wants to send 14 of its Leopard 2 tanks.
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