"We need change in the philosophy of arms supply": Shmyhal calles on Germany and the US to provide Ukraine with battle tanks

This is reported by DW.

"We need a change in the philosophy of weapons supplies. By this I mean: modern battle tanks must also be supplied," Shmyhal said.

It is known that Shmyhal is expected in Berlin on September 3. On Sunday, he will be received by Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery. He is the highest-ranking Ukrainian politician to visit Berlin since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.

"We expect the United States to supply us with its Abrams tanks, and Germany with its Leopard-2 tanks. These are the modern tanks that Ukraine needs on the battlefield," he said.

After initial hesitation, Germany has delivered a number of heavy weapons to Ukraine in recent months: ten Panzerhaubitze 2000 heavy artillery units, 15 anti-aircraft guns, three rocket launchers and three armored recovery vehicles.

"Germany has made great progress in the matter of supporting Ukraine with weapons," Shmyhal said.

According to him, at first only protective equipment or helmets were supplied, today these are the most modern weapons.

"But of course we want to get more weapons and equipment as soon as possible," he said.

Direct supplies of modern battle tanks and BMPs for Scholz still remain taboo. No other NATO country has yet transferred such weapons systems to Ukraine.