Germany formally greenlights Leopard tanks for Ukraine, approves export by other nations

Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and approve their re-export from partner countries, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced at a cabinet meeting Wednesday. The country will provide a company with 14 battle tanks, as well as logistics and ammunition, with the ultimate goal to assemble two tank battalions, reported Sky News. Germany will also approve the export of Leopards by other countries. 

“This decision follows our well-known line of supporting Ukraine to the best of our ability," said the German Chancellor in Berlin. "We are acting in a closely coordinated manner internationally.” Germany's decision paves the way for countries like Poland, Spain and Norway to send their stocks of Leopard tanks. 

Scholz added that the goal was to quickly establish two battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine, adding that Germany would in a first step provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks from military stocks.

Training of Ukrainian troops in Germany will begin soon and Germany will also provide logistics and ammunition, it added. Germany will issue the appropriate transfer permits to partner countries that want to quickly deliver Leopard 2 tanks from their stocks to Ukraine, it said.

Scholz had insisted that any move to provide Ukraine with powerful Leopard 2 tanks would need to be closely coordinated with Germany’s allies, chiefly the United States. By getting Washington to commit some of its own tanks Berlin hopes to spread the risk of any backlash from Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described German and U.S. intentions with the tanks as a “a rather disastrous plan.”

“I am convinced that many specialists understand the absurdity of this idea,” Peskov told reporters Wednesday. “Simply because of technological aspects, this is a rather disastrous plan. The main thing is, this is a completely obvious overestimation of the potential (the supply of tanks) would add to the armed forces of Ukraine. It is yet another fallacy, a rather profound one,” the Kremlin official said. Peskov predicted “these tanks will burn down just like all the other ones. ... Except they cost a lot, and this will fall on the shoulders of European taxpayers.” he added.