Germany’s defence minister to decide on tanks for Ukraine
Kyiv says fleet of Western battle tanks would give forces mobile firepower
When the person, when the minister of defence, is declared, this is the first question to be decided concretely.”
Ukraine came a step closer yesterday to winning the fleet of modern battle tanks it hopes could turn the course of the war against Russia, after the West’s big holdout Germany said this would be the first item on its new defence minister’s agenda.
In the central city of Dnipro, authorities called an end to the search for survivors in the ruins of an apartment building destroyed during Russian missile attacks on Saturday.
Forty-four people were confirmed killed and 20 more still unaccounted for in the attack, the deadliest for civilians of a three-month Russian missile bombardment campaign. Seventy-nine people were wounded and 39 rescued from the rubble.
Nearly 11 months after Russia attacked, Kyiv says a fleet of Western battle tanks would give its forces the mobile firepower they need to drive Russian troops out in decisive battles in 2023.
Robert Habeck | German Economy Minister
German-made Leopard battle tanks — the workhorse of armies across Europe — are widely seen as the only plausible choice to supply Ukraine with the large-scale tank force it needs. But they cannot be delivered without authorisation from Berlin, which has so far stalled.
Under intense pressure
With Western allies meeting at a US airbase in Germany on Friday to pledge military support for Ukraine, Berlin is under intense pressure to lift its objections this week.
The decision will be the first item on the agenda for Boris Pistorius, announced yesterday as the replacement for German Defence Secretary Christine Lambrecht, who quit on Monday.
“When the person, when the minister of defence, is declared, this is the first question to be decided concretely,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told Deutschlandfunk radio broadcaster. Germany has been cautious about approving weapons that could be seen as an escalation. Many allies say that concern is misplaced, with Russia showing no sign of backing down from its assault on its neighbour.
UK breaks taboo
Britain broke the taboo over sending heavy tanks over the weekend, pledging a squadron of its Challengers. But it has too few for them to form the basis of a Ukrainian force.
Washington’s Abrams tanks are also seen as inappropriate in large numbers because they run on turbine engines that burn too much fuel to be practical for Ukraine.
That leaves the Leopards, which Germany made in the thousands during the Cold War and which are now fielded by armies across Europe. Poland and Finland have already said they would send Leopards if Berlin gives reexport approval.