The German government this Friday postponed the decision on the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Kiev, in the framework of the meeting of the contact group for Ukraine, and stated that it will review the reserves and availability of this material.
At the meeting that took place this Friday at the US military base in Ramstein, Germany, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius did not rule out sending, but indicated that there is no unanimous opinion on the deployment of German-made Leopard 2 tanks that Kiev says it needs to fight Russian forces in the Donbass region (eastern Ukraine)confirm diplomatic sources to the Spanish news agency Europa Press.
The German government will review reservations and availability as an earlier step for any shipment of these armored vehicles claimed by Ukraine.
“The priority is the air defense of Ukraine and that is what we are focusing on,” the German minister said, also referring to the supply of Leopard-type tanks by the countries supporting Kiev “is in discussion”.
Pistorius also claimed that he has been in office for just over 24 hours – he replaced Christine Lambrecht, who resigned, heavily questioned during his tenure precisely because of his support for Ukraine – and that he needs to “weigh” all aspects before making a decision takes. decision.
He dismissed that there is a “front of allies” largely in favor of shipping that is pressuring Germany to unblock authorization for the Leopard – German-made tanks that require that country’s authorization to be supplied to third parties – to be made available to the Ukrainian armed forces.
“Any decision on the Leopard will be made in consensus with the Allies”added Pistorius, who assured his government “is not alone” in this view.
The defense minister also insisted that his country “will not stop supporting Ukraine” and “as long as it takes,” recalling the strong German contribution already made to Kiev, surpassed only by the United States and The United Kingdom.
From Berlin, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit denied that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s executive had made it a condition of the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine that the United States send Abrams-type tanks, which Washington ruled out for logistical reasons.
The Contact Group for Ukraine, made up of Kiev’s western allies, is meeting this Friday at the US air base in Ramstein, Germany, aimed at increasing military support for that country against Russia.
The meeting will be attended by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, as well as their counterparts from Germany, the UK and Poland, among other top representatives from dozens of countries.
The Minister of National Defense, Helena Carreiras, also participates in the meeting.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
