Germany the arms manufacturer “Rheinmetall” will not be able to deliver combat-ready tanks “Leopard 2” to Ukraine until 2024, the CEO of the company announced.
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Repair and refurbishment requirements mean the delivery of the tanks would take until early next year, “even if the decision to send our Leopard tanks to Kyiv was made tomorrow,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said, as quoted by Politico.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has not yet made a decision on whether Germany will commit to sending the powerful Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which Ukraine wants to intensify the attacks against the Russian invaders.
Rheinmetall has 22 Leopard 2 and 88 older Leopard 1 vehicles, Papperger said. Germany has about 350 Leopard 2 tanks.
Poland the president Andrzej Duda announced last week that his country will deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and also Finland President Sauli Niinisto expressed his desire to supply battle tanks to Kyiv.
Germany, which manufactures the Leopard 2, plays a key role as the vehicles are subject to re-export restrictions. But Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said on Thursday that Berlin would not stand in the way of allies wanting to deliver tanks to Ukraine, even though the German government itself has so far been reluctant to do so.
