Twelve countries have agreed to supply Ukraine with approximately 100 Leopard 2 tanks if the German government approves, ABC News reports, referencing a senior Ukrainian official.
According to the source, these agreements were reached at the summit held on Friday at Ramstein US Air Force Base in Germany, where allied nations discussed military support for Ukraine.
Poland and Finland have publicly indicated their willingness to provide Ukraine with several Leopard 2 tanks.
Finnish President Niinistö arrives in Kyiv to discuss delivery of Leopard tanks
The Ukrainian official stated that Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark were also willing to provide some of their tanks. However, Germany’s approval was still required for the coalition of countries to proceed with the matter.
According to a Ukrainian official, Germany, the country where the military hardware is manufactured, must approve the export license. It is if countries want to supply some of their tanks to a third country, such as Ukraine.
Before a possible escalation of fighting in the coming weeks or months, the Biden administration and other Western governments are working to enhance Ukraine’s military capabilities.
During a briefing, a western diplomat labeled it “the right time” to provide Ukraine with new capabilities such as tanks last week.
The diplomat stated, “Ukraine’s allies have the ability to increase the quantity and quality of Ukraine’s military capabilities in a way that Russia simply doesn’t.”
However, a senior Ukrainian official who spoke with ABC News on condition of anonymity stated that Ukraine also urgently needs German-made Leopard tanks because its ammunition supplies for its Soviet-era tanks are “running out.”
The official stated that the inability of Ukraine to produce new ammunition for these Soviet-era tanks “so this forced us to find an alternative way.“
Earlier this month, the UK made a symbolic gesture by promising to supply Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 tanks. According to a Ukrainian official, this gesture was to persuade Berlin to move on its Leopards, which helped.
UK to supply 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine in “coming weeks,” followed by around 30 AS90 SPGs
“Minister Wallace broke through this wall,” the official stated to ABC News.
Germany has come under criticism for delaying a decision on the export approval of Leopard tanks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested on German TV last Thursday, the day before the Ramstein summit, that the delay was costing lives.
However, a senior Ukrainian official told ABC News that the Ramstein summit took place on the second working day for the newly appointed German Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius.
“It’s not the time to put pressure on a newly appointed minister of defense. We fully understand [the need] for him to discuss it further,” the official stated.
Read also:
US leaning toward sending a significant number of Abrams tanks to Ukraine – WSJ sources (updated)
How many Leopard tanks Spain has and what it can give Ukraine
Germany to allow Poland to send tanks to Ukraine – German Foreign Minister
