The issue was the focus of a high-level meeting at the German air base in Ramstein on Friday. Resnikov was then very optimistic that there could soon be a commitment from Germany. Reznikov tweeted a photo of himself with Germany’s new Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius.
In his post he thanked, among other things, the German government for the military aid and also wrote: “We had an open discussion about Leopard 2. To be continued.” According to Ukrainian media reports, other states besides Poland had also agreed to training Ukrainian soldiers on the Leopard -2 tanks to start.
Ukraine summit: Leopard issue remains unresolved
The meeting of the Ukraine contact group in Ramstein, Germany on Friday brought further extensive pledges of military aid to Kyiv. From the Ukrainian point of view, perhaps the most important question at the moment remained open: the delivery of German Leopard main battle tanks.
Ukraine has been demanding the delivery of main battle tanks for some time. It is particularly about the Leopard 2. Poland, among others, has declared its willingness to deliver. However, since the tanks come from German production, Germany must agree to a transfer. So far, this has not happened, and no decision was made at the meeting of Western allies at the Ramstein air base.
Zelenskyj: “No alternative”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was nevertheless convinced in his evening video message on Friday that he would receive the tanks. During the talks he heard a lot of understanding for the needs of Ukraine attacked by Russia, Zelensky said. “We will have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it more obvious that there is no alternative to choosing tanks.”
Zelenskyy said longer-range missiles are also needed to liberate Ukrainian areas. Not everything that was discussed in Ramstein was intended for the public, Zelenskyj said. The bottom line, however, is a strengthening of Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression.
Metsola urges ‘joint action’
EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola also assumes that Ukraine will also receive Leopard 2 tanks to support the war against Russia. At the meeting of the western allies at the US base in Ramstein, “further important commitments were made, and I remain optimistic about the tanks, too, since this is the logical next step,” the Maltese newspaper quoted the “Handelsblatt” as saying.
The Leopard 2 tanks are at the center of the debate “because there are a lot of them, because they are relatively easy to maintain, because many European countries have them and because Ukraine simply needs them”. It is good that the alliance partners in Ramstein have agreed on new arms deliveries. “What we urgently need, however, is leadership, unity and a common approach to the supply of Leopard 2 tanks.”
“Ukraine gets all the help it needs”
“Ukraine will get all the help it needs,” US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said when asked by journalists in Washington whether he supported Poland’s intention to provide Ukraine with Leopard main battle tanks. A senior US official, who declined to be named, reiterated that the US maintained its stance not to send Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin praised Germany as a reliable partner despite hesitations about supplying Ukraine with Leopard 2 main battle tanks. “Yes, you are a reliable ally. They have been for a very, very long time,” Austin said Friday in Ramstein after the Ukraine Contact Group meeting.
“We don’t push anybody”
The US government emphasized that each country makes sovereign decisions regarding the supply of weapons. “We don’t push anyone, and we don’t let anyone push us,” National Security Council communications director John Kirby said in Washington on Friday.
If US Secretary of Defense Austin has his way, a single weapon system will not be decisive for Ukraine’s military success. The Ukrainians had received a package with large military capabilities – including armored personnel carriers from the United States and other countries. If used properly, these tools could lead to success.
