25/1/2023–|Last updated: 1/25/202301:55 AM (Makkah)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and let other countries like Poland do so, according to government sources speaking to dpa.
The decision came after weeks of back-and-forth and mounting pressure from Ukraine and other partners on Berlin to take this decision.
Spiegel magazine, which was the first to report this news, said that the decision concerns at least one group of A6 Leopard 2 tanks that will be provided from German army stores. The group usually consists of 14 tanks.
And the (T-Online) news website quoted Christian Dor, leader of the parliamentary bloc of the ruling Free Democratic Party, “Today, the Chancellor made a decision that everyone took seriously. The fact that Germany will support Ukraine with Leopard tanks is a strong sign of solidarity.”
Spiegel reported that other allies, in Scandinavia for example, intended to join Germany in supplying Leopard tanks to Kyiv.
Does it change western military support for #Ukraine The balance of power in its war with #Russia؟ #Aljazeera live #evening pic.twitter.com/nveJ0y2z6R
– Al Jazeera Mubasher (@ajmubasher) January 18, 2023
The front line in eastern Ukraine has not seen much movement for weeks, and Kyiv hopes the tanks will help it return to the offensive and retake more of the territory occupied by Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine fears that Russia will launch an offensive next spring.
The Polish government submitted a formal request earlier Tuesday to Germany for permission to supply German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine, which put Berlin under significant pressure to act.
