Germany calls for participation in the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called on other European partners to join the German-Polish project for the supply of Leopard 2 combat tanks to Ukraine.
Pistorius said in the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Wednesday that he will, with his Polish counterparts, Mariusz Blaszczak and Ukrainian Oleksiy Reznikov, next week call for a meeting for this purpose.
Pistorius added, “It’s more important than ever that we mobilize all the arms and means that haven’t yet been activated, and that we strive so that Ukraine can be supported in its defense against Russia, and I believe that there was still room for improvement for some Western allies”.
Germany and Poland intend to supply Ukraine with 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks from each country.
Pistorius met earlier in Warsaw with the head of the Polish National Security Office, Jacque Severa, as well as the Polish Minister of Defense, Blaszczak.
No joint press statement was issued following the meeting between the two ministers, and the Polish Ministry of Defense said there was no reason for issuing this statement.
With the approaching parliamentary elections in the country, the Polish government, which belongs to the conservative national trend, is increasingly adopting an anti-German tone, and has criticized the reluctant position taken by the German government in the first place in the issue of supplying combat tanks to Ukraine.
Just before his meeting with Pistorius, Blaszczak told public broadcaster TVB that he was feeling a little disappointed about the number of Leopard 2 tanks Germany plans to supply to Ukraine.
Pistorius responded by saying that he dealt with this statement calmly, pointing out that Germany assumes a great defense responsibility at the level of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and at the national level, “and this is what Poland and the eastern wing also benefit from”.
From its part, the United States appreciates Germany’s strong contributions in support of Ukraine, including financial, security, and humanitarian assistance.
And the US State Department stated in a statement, on Wednesday.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with German Vice Chancellor along with Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck, and the two sides discussed the bilateral economic partnership, including how to move forward in the areas of cooperation in Trade, energy and climate.
The German government has already decided to send 14 Leopard 2 main battle tanks from German army stocks to Ukraine.
