Ukraine calls for “modern tanks”
Schmyhal, Scholz . I am pushing for the delivery of Leopard 2
9/4/2022 9:43 PM
Meanwhile, Germany has also supplied Ukraine with heavy weapons and military equipment worth several hundred million euros. However, as of now, the federal government does not want to give up on modern battle tanks. However, the head of government of Ukraine is emphasizing this – and making concrete proposals – during his visit to Berlin.
At a meeting in Berlin, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Schmihl made concrete proposals to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to deliver 2 Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine. “We talked about this topic. We also suggested how Germany could supply Ukraine with these tanks,” Schmihl told reporters after his conversation with Scholz at the Berlin Chancellery. He could not disclose “all the agreements and all the details of the negotiations”. “But we discussed all these questions about tanks and other military systems for Ukraine quite constructively.” Asked if he is optimistic that main battle tanks will eventually be delivered, he said, “I am always optimistic.”
That afternoon Scholz received Schmihal with military honors in front of the Chancellery. A joint press conference on Saturday was canceled by the German side due to scheduling reasons.
Even before reaching Berlin, Schmiedl had requested the delivery of the Panther 2 main battle tank from the German government. “We need a change in the philosophy of weapons delivery. By this I mean: modern battle tanks must also be delivered,” Schmihal said. Leopard 2s are “modern tanks that Ukraine needs on the battlefield.”
The federal government has so far promised Ukraine over 700 million euros of weapons, most of which has already been delivered – including some heavy weapons: ten heavy artillery pieces of the Panzerhaubitz 2000 type, 15 anti- aircraft tanks, three multiple rocket launchers and three armored recovery vehicles. So far, Scholz has expressed doubts about the delivery of the battle tanks. No other NATO country has so far delivered Western-style main battle tanks to Ukraine. The Chancellor has always emphasized that Germany will not go it alone.
