The chairwoman of the Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), is increasing the pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the debate about possible main battle tank deliveries to Ukraine. Germany must finally issue the export license for the delivery of the Leopard 2, she told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “The chancellor should jump over his shadow in view of the drama in Ukraine.”
The background: Poland had agreed on Wednesday to hand over Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine together with allies for a company. According to a Polish military expert, this means 14 main battle tanks. Germany plays a key role in the debate because the tanks were developed in Germany. As a rule, the transfer of armaments from German production to third parties must be approved.
Poland is committed to a larger scope of delivery
The Polish Ambassador in Berlin, Dariusz Pawlos, promised that Poland would support an even larger scope of delivery. “Poland will demand the creation of larger military units that will be of military importance in the defense of Ukraine,” the diplomat told Funke media group newspapers.
“Such a formation, equipped with professional equipment, will be able to establish a serious blockade against Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
Training Ukrainians on the Leopard 2
Strack-Zimmermann said that the Polish advance looked a lot like an election campaign, in which Germany was only too happy to be presented. “One way or another, we should start training on the Leopard 2 today, parallel to the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the Marder infantry fighting vehicle.” Otherwise, valuable time would be lost.
Mützenich: “There are no red lines”
Germany has so far promised Ukraine the less powerful Marder-type armored personnel carriers. Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) confirmed on Thursday that a battle tank delivery is currently not on the agenda. SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich did not fundamentally rule out the delivery of German battle tanks to Ukraine. “There are no red lines.”
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) said that Germany should not stand in the way of other countries making decisions to support Ukraine, regardless of the decision, regarding a delivery of Leopard 2 tanks by Poland to Ukraine meet Germany.
CDU foreign affairs expert Norbert Röttgen said on Thursday evening on the ZDF program “maybrit illner”: “If we don’t give Ukraine what is possible and necessary, then there will be a long-lasting bloodbath.” It will be terrible.
“Nor will we find a way to peace unless Ukraine is enabled to be militarily successful. Then there will be no political solution.” The alternative now is to “let it go like this or support Ukraine in such a way that politics becomes possible”.
Next Friday, the defense ministers of the western allies will meet at the Ramstein US air base in Rhineland-Palatinate to discuss further arms deliveries to the war zone. It was “not very likely” that the federal government would decide to deliver battle tanks by then, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Wednesday.
Just a matter of time?
For the President of the Bundeswehr Reserves Association, Patrick Sensburg, the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine is only a matter of time. “I firmly assume that Germany will agree to the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks. The only question is when the decision will be made,” he told the Rheinische Post.
“I am in favor of delivering as many Leopard battle tanks as possible to the Ukraine, also from Bundeswehr stocks.” In return, the Bundeswehr must be equipped with significantly more modern battle tanks. (dpa)
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