Scholz under pressure to send ‘gold standard’ tanks to Ukraine
PRESSURE is building on Germany to release Leopard II tanks to Ukraine after Finland and Poland pledged to send Europe’s most advanced tank to fight the Russian army.
Germany manufactures Leopard II tanks and also holds the export licence for them, meaning Berlin must approve any shipment of the tanks.
After both the Finnish and Polish governments signalled their desire to send Leopard II vehicles to Ukraine, Lars Klingbeil, a German MP and part of the ruling coalition, said the government would not be bounced into a deal and that no countries “were yet delivering heavy battle tanks” to Ukraine.
Guy Verhofstadt, an MEP and former Belgian prime minister, said pressure was building on Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, to approve a deal.
“There is nowhere for the German government to hide. Mr Scholz must act to authorise Leopard tanks to Ukraine, as requested,” he said.
Earlier this week, France and Germany pledged to send fighting infantry vehicles to Ukraine, but analysts have said Ukraine requires the Leopard II tanks to defeat Russia.
Earlier this week, Volodymyr Zelensky pressed for Western tanks to be handed over to Ukraine.
“There is no rational reason why Ukraine has not yet been supplied with Western-type tanks,” said the Ukrainian president.
Mr Scholz has allowed Leopard II tanks to be given to Poland and the Czech Republic to replace Soviet-era T-72 tanks they have given to Ukraine.
But Slawomir Debski, director of the Polish Institute of International Affairs, said that European governments effectively now had to wait for permission from Mr Scholz before they could supply Ukraine with Leopard II tanks.
“Germany has to green-light it and that would mean that they cannot stand by while other allies supply Ukraine with German tanks,” he said.
The Leopard II is one of the most feared tanks in the world because of its high mobility and armour. Analysts have said that it would give Ukraine an edge in battles as it outclasses Russia’s T-72 tanks and is close to being the world’s “gold standard”.