Czech Republic not ready to give up German Leopard tanks in favor of Ukraine

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala made the statement, Welt reports.

"It is impossible to send Leopard tanks now, because we need these tanks for our security," he said.

Last year, the Czech Republic provided Ukraine with dozens of Soviet-made T-72 main battle tanks. In return, the German federal government promised Prague 14 Leopard 2 tanks and one armored evacuation vehicle as part of the so-called ring exchange. The first Leopard was delivered in December 2022.

• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on January 24 that Germany's permission to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine "will be forthcoming soon," so countries can prepare weapons.

• On January 24, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said the EU should impose additional sanctions on Russia's technology sector to limit Moscow's ability to produce missiles used to fire at Ukraine.