Defense chiefs fail to resolve dispute on tanks for Ukraine
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Defense leaders meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany on Friday failed to resolve divisions over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine after more than five hours of discussions about sending more military aid to the embattled country.
The defense minister of Poland, which has pledged a company of 14 Leopard tanks on condition that other countries also supply them, said 15 countries that have the German-made Leopards discussed the issue but no decisions were made.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak called the meeting a “good discussion among allies” and said the matter would be discussed again at future talks.
Germany would need to consent for the tanks to be given to Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. Despite pleas from Ukrainian officials, Germany has resisted mounting pressure to quickly supply Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to deliver them from their own stocks.
The U.S. has resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the hightech vehicle. Washington believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.
U.S. and German officials have given mixed signals about whether Germany is hesitant to provide the Leopards unless the U.S. provides Abrams tanks. A
U.S. official familiar with White House thinking reiterated that Germany has expressed hesitance to providing its tanks without the U.S. sending Abrams tanks.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that there was some bewilderment in the administration over the German position, since Britain, another NATO ally, has already agreed to provide tanks.
But Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, denied that Berlin demanded that the U.S. supply Abrams tanks alongside any shipment of Leopards.
At a news conference Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted Germany’s denial that it had linked one type of tank to the other. “This notion of our locking, you know, in my mind, it’s not an issue,” he said.
Ukrainian leaders and supporters of Kyiv have repeatedly criticized Germany for what they see as holding back critical assistance in the war. Austin defended German leaders after Friday’s meeting. Asked by a reporter if Germany was doing enough
to show “real leadership” in Europe, Austin replied, “Yes, but we can all do more.”
“They are a reliable ally and they’ve been that way for a very, very long time,” Austin added. “And I truly believe that they’ll continue to be a reliable ally going forward.”
Meanwhile, American officials said Friday that a former U.S. Navy SEAL was killed this week in Ukraine. Officials said that he was not fighting in any official capacity.
Daniel Swift is listed in official records as having deserted since March 2019. The Navy did not provide further information about his U.S. military record, but said, “We cannot speculate as to why the former Sailor was in Ukraine.”
The Navy said Swift was killed Wednesday. At least five other Americans are known to have died fighting in Ukraine, according to State Department statements and reports from individual families.
The U.S. government has discouraged Americans from going to fight for Ukraine, citing concerns that they may be captured by Russian forces and held hostage.