Germany decides to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine

Der Spiegel reported the information.

Other allies, including those from Scandinavia and Poland, also want to deliver battle tanks to Ukraine. And the German government is seeking to authorize the export of such tanks belonging to other countries.

The German decision was apparently preceded by intensive consultations over several days with allies, especially in Washington. Scholz has always emphasized that he wants to supply battle tanks only in cooperation with other countries, such as the US.

Recently, there have been reports of disagreements between Germany and the US administration, which has left Scholz furious.

According to SPIEGEL, the German tanks are supposed to come from the Bundeswehr's stockpile. In the medium and long term, further battle tanks may be prepared for use from industrial stocks.

At the same time, the Bundestag stated that it would consider the issue of possible deliveries of Leopard tanks to Ukraine on January 25.

• Earlier, during the 8th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in Ramstein on January 20, the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine was not agreed upon.

• Ukraine has agreed to train its tank crews on German Leopard 2 and British Challenger 2 tanks, which will begin soon.

• On January 22, the United Kingdom announced it supports an international agreement to provide Ukraine with German tanks.

• As of January 22, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Warsaw was open to forming a coalition with countries that were willing to give Ukraine some of their Leopard 2 tanks without Germany's participation if Berlin did not agree to provide Ukraine with these tanks.

• On January 23, the Polish Foreign Ministry announced that it would send Germany an official request for permission to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the coming days.

• The German military-industrial concern Rheinmetall is ready to transfer 139 Leopard tanks to Ukraine as soon as the government gives permission.

• Today, on January 24, media have reported that US President Joe Biden is ready to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine to encourage Germany to supply Leopard tanks.

• Following the latest negotiations, Ukraine expects to  receive about 100 Leopard tanks from 12 countries.