Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine: sources
STORY: A source tells Reuters Germany will be sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to help fight Russia’s invasion.
Kyiv has pleaded for Western tanks for months.
The move would allow other countries like Poland to do the same – while Washington may supply Abrams tanks as well.
There’s been no official confirmation from Berlin or Washington.
But Ukrainian officials were quick to hail what they called a game changer in the almost year-long war.
Despite heavy losses on both sides, the front lines in the war have been largely frozen in place for two months.
Kyiv argues heavy modern battle tanks would give it the firepower and mobility it desperately needs to recapture occupied territory in the east and south.
Whether or not to supply those tanks has dominated discussions among Kyiv’s Western allies in the past few weeks.
The German-made Leopards were widely seen as the best option - available in large numbers and easy to deploy.
But Berlin has been wary of moves that would cause Russia to escalate the war.
Earlier on Tuesday (January 24) Poland upped the pressure on Germany by formally requesting permission to allow the re-export of its Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine.
