Germany To Send Leopard Tanks to Ukraine, and Allow Other Countries To Send Theirs

Jan. 24, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, under extreme pressure from the Jan. 20 Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the U.S. air base at Ramstein, has decided that he will send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Furthermore, he will give permission for other countries to send their Leopard 2 tanks as well. Previously, some 100 tanks were reportedly offered by 12 nations, but the sales could not go through without German permission under the terms they agreed to when first purchased.

“The fact that Germany will support Ukraine with the Leopard tank is a strong sign of solidarity,” Christian Dürr, parliamentary leader of the Free Democratic Party, a member of the government coalition, said. “The #Leopard’s freed!” tweeted Katrin Göring-Eckardt, the vice president of the Bundestag.

Germany has 320 Leopard tanks, according to CNN. At least a dozen are anticipated to be sent to Ukraine.