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Protests in Hamburg: "Free Leopards now"
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Germany's allies also on Sunday urged the federal government to allow the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
If the federal government persists in its refusal, Warsaw will form "a small coalition" of countries to supply Ukraine with "modern tanks" from their own stocks, said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
One will not passively watch as Ukraine bleeds dry.
Morawiecki called Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) hesitation "unacceptable" and that Ukraine and Europe would win the war "with or without Germany."
The Ukrainian leadership has long been demanding western-style main battle tanks to defend against the Russian attack – in Kyiv and western capitals there are concerns about a possible spring offensive by the Russians.
The Ukrainian army could use the main battle tanks in conjunction with other models that have already been promised, including the German Marder infantry fighting vehicle and the French AMX-10 RC reconnaissance tank.
Several countries have already expressed readiness to supply Leopard tanks.
In the room is a European coalition of nations that have equipped their military with the various Leopard models.
Since the tank comes from Germany, the federal government would have to agree to the export of the tanks even if they don't deliver any themselves.
Britons and Balts jostle
The British government is the only one to have announced that it will supply western main battle tanks: Kyiv is to receive 14 Challenger-2 tanks.
Since then, London has been putting pressure on Germany.
"I would like nothing better than to see the Ukrainians armed with Leopard 2," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told the BBC on Sunday.
"The Leopard 2 is an incredibly effective piece of military equipment."
Cleverly avoided the question of whether he was disappointed in Germany.
Already on Saturday, the foreign ministers of the three Baltic states asked Berlin to change course.
The Leopard delivery is needed to stop Russian aggression and restore peace in Europe.
As a leading European power, Germany has a special responsibility.
At the Ramstein conference, the western allies were initially unable to agree on a Leopard delivery.
After the conference, the new German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that he would check the availability of the tanks.
more on the subject
Coalition quarrel over arms deliveries: »Hey people, our opponent is called Putin!« By Matthias Gebauer and Christian Teevs
Weapons aid for the Ukraine: The Bundeswehr could give up these Leopard tanks by Matthias Gebauer
Leopard tanks for Kyiv: How Europeans and Americans put pressure on the Germans
According to SPIEGEL information, however, a corresponding list was already available in the Ministry of Defense in early summer.
According to this, 19 Leopard 2A5 models would primarily be considered for a possible German delivery.
They would be used to "represent enemy forces" in the army's combat training center, ie simulate enemy tanks during maneuvers.
The troops say that the 2A5 models are best left out as they are only used for exercises (read more here).
Battle of words with US Secretary of Defense?
In Washington, too, people are obviously disappointed that the federal government is still acting hesitantly on the tank issue - and that even the visit of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin could do nothing to change that.
According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, there was a war of words with Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt.
According to the report, the mood was "tense".
According to SZ, security advisor Jake Sullivan is said to have protested sharply.
The federal government denied the report on Sunday.
"Basically, we don't comment on such anonymous colportage," a government spokesman told SPIEGEL.
»With regard to the description of the SZ, however, it should be said clearly: These reports are not correct either in terms of content or tone.«
slue/mgb/dpa/AFP
