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Emmanuel Macron at the press conference with Olaf Scholz: the delivery of main battle tanks should not escalate the conflict
Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / REUTERS
French President Emmanuel Macron does not rule out the delivery of French Leclerc main battle tanks to Ukraine.
"As far as Leclerc is concerned, nothing is out of the question," Macron said at a joint press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris on Sunday.
However, providing these battle tanks must not escalate the conflict, must not weaken the country's own defense capability and must represent realistic and efficient support for Ukraine.
The deadline for training the Ukrainian crews and delivering the tanks must be taken into account, Macron said.
The question will be discussed with allies such as Germany in the coming days and weeks.
So far, no western-style main battle tanks have been delivered to Ukraine to defend against the Russian attackers.
However, Britain has pledged 14 Challenger tanks.
Scholz has not yet decided whether he wants to clear the way for the delivery of German Leopard 2 tanks.
At the press conference in Paris, Scholz did not answer the question of whether the delivery of American M1 Abrams tanks was a condition.
Macron and Scholz spoke on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty.
At the Sorbonne University in Paris, Macron said that Germany and France were like “two souls in one breast” for him.
»For a Frenchman to speak about Germany is to speak about a part of oneself«.
Recently there had been a crisis between Berlin and Paris.
In the debate about arms deliveries, it also became clear that the relationship between the two most important EU countries is strained: At the beginning of January, Macron pushed ahead with the decision on reconnaissance and armored personnel carriers and announced it one day before Scholz and US President Joe Biden.
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In his speech, Scholz described differences of opinion between the two countries as normal in such close cooperation.
"The Franco-German engine is a compromise machine - well oiled, but sometimes loud and marked by hard work," said Scholz.
»He doesn't get his drive from sweet cuddles and empty symbolism.
But because of our firm will to always convert controversies and differences of interest into aligned action.«
The ceremony was linked to a joint cabinet meeting, which, however, brought only a few concrete results.
The two states pledged "unwavering support" to Ukraine without going into specific weapons systems.
slue/dpa
