Espreso Global Military news US doesn't receive messages about Germany's readiness to send tanks to AFU

US doesn't receive messages about Germany's readiness to send tanks to AFU

25 January, 2023 Wednesday

10:25

The US State Department has no official confirmation from Germany that it is ready to make a decision that would allow sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine

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The spokesman of the US State Department, Ned Price, said this during a video briefing.

Commenting on information about the readiness of the German government to allow the transfer of tanks to Ukraine, Price said: “I have seen various reports about this and they all point to anonymous official representatives in the German government.”

He emphasized the need for the authorities in Berlin to make an official statement when they are ready to do so.

During the 8th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein on January 20, the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine wasn't agreed upon.
As of January 22, it was known that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Warsaw allows the creation of a coalition with countries that are ready to give Ukraine part of their Leopard 2, without the participation of Germany, if Berlin does not agree to provide Ukraine with these tanks. And the UK advocates an international agreement to provide Ukraine with German tanks.
Subsequently, the German military-industrial concern Rheinmetall stated that it is ready to transfer 139 Leopard tanks to Ukraine, as soon as the government gives permission for this.
On January 24, it became known that US President Joe Biden is ready to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine to encourage Germany to hand over the Leopards.
And Poland sent an official request to Germany with a request to allow the transfer of Leopard 2 to Ukraine.
It also became known that according to the results of the latest negotiations, Ukraine expects to receive about 100 Leopard tanks from 12 countries.
On the same day, the Spiegel publication reported on Germany's decision to approve the provision of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. It is expected that Chancellor Olaf Scholz may announce the provision of tanks to Ukraine on January 25 during a speech in the Bundeswehr, scheduled for 14:00 Kyiv time. At the same time, he can announce that Germany allows the re-export of Leopard 2 from other European countries.