Poland said it has asked Germany for approval to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to help in the country’s defense against Russia.
The Polish defense minister made the announcement on Tuesday, adding that Berlin has received the request.
GERMANY SAYS IT WON’T STOP POLAND FROM SENDING TANKS TO UKRAINE
“I also appeal to the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks. This is our common cause because it is about the security of the whole of Europe!” Mariusz Blaszczak added.
Niemcy otrzymali już nasz wniosek o wyrażenie zgody na przekazanie czołgów Leopard 2 na Ukrainę. Apeluję także do strony niemieckiej o przyłączenie się do koalicji państw wspierających Ukrainę czołgami Leopard 2. To nasza wspólna sprawa, bo chodzi o bezpieczeństwo całej Europy! pic.twitter.com/9oMQihI83Z
— Mariusz Błaszczak (@mblaszczak) January 24, 2023
Germany said it will decide “very soon” whether to allow the delivery of the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, per CNN.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said over the weekend that the government “would not stand in the way” of other European allies providing Ukraine with their own Leopard 2 tanks. However, Germany has refused to provide its own tanks despite pleas from Ukrainian officials.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he wants the donation of tanks to be part of a broader coalition.
Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly pressed allies for tanks as Russian forces and the Wagner Group engage in brutal fighting in the east, while officials have warned about an upcoming renewed Russian offensive.
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Additionally, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced last week that Russia will expand the size of its military to roughly 1.5 million between now and 2026. While their current manpower numbers are not clear, they previously announced intent to increase the military’s size to more than 1.1 million members by Jan. 1 of this year.
Over the weekend, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia published a joint statement on the issue, urging Germany to “provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine now.”
