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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)
Photo: Benoit Tessier/AP
Does Germany deliver now – or not?
In the European Union, pressure is growing on Germany to finally make a decision on the Leopard 2 tanks.
Whether the main battle tanks will be delivered to Ukraine has been a point of contention among the western allies for days.
On the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, several EU politicians have now expressed their disappointment at the hesitation in Berlin.
"I wish I didn't have to wait another day for the tanks to be delivered," Lithuanian Foreign Minister
Gabrielius Landsbergis
said .
The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania called on Germany on Saturday to "immediately deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine."
Luxembourg Foreign Minister
Jean Asselborn
said that Chancellor Olaf Scholz had "a great responsibility to really take a step".
Before the expected Russian spring offensive, the Europeans would have to make sure "that the given material will be available (...) so that the Ukraine can defend itself."
According to Asselborn, Kyiv needs at least 300 tanks for this.
It is a fact "that only Leopard tanks are so present in Europe," he said, referring to the approximately 2,000 Leopard tanks in European stocks.
Berlin in »purgatory«
Estonian Foreign Minister
Urmas Reinsalu
also criticized Scholz's wait-and-see attitude.
He compared the fact that Berlin was leaving Kyiv in the dark with the biblical »purgatory«.
“Germany is Europe's engine, the largest partner country, and that means a special responsibility,” emphasized Reinsalu.
However, he welcomed the statement by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) that she "did not want to stand in the way" of Poland supplying Leopard tanks.
Baerbock said on French television on Sunday that Germany would not block the export of Leopard tanks from third countries to Ukraine.
In Brussels, however, she expressed herself evasively again today.
"Eleven months after the start of Russia's brutal war of aggression, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has not deviated from his murderous plan to destroy Ukraine," she said.
"And that's why it's so important that we, as an international community, do everything we can to defend Ukraine."
The final decision rests with Scholz
EU foreign policy chief
Josep Borrell
also supported the delivery of tanks on the sidelines of the EU foreign ministers' meeting.
And also increased the pressure on Germany: "We are here to discuss it," he said before a video conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
However, the decision lies with Berlin.
Kyiv has been demanding the Leopard 2 tanks for months.
In the past few weeks, fears have grown in the West that Russia could launch a new offensive in the spring.
Kyiv could then use the heavy battle tanks in combination with lighter models that had already been promised to repel the attack or go on the offensive itself.
Chancellor Scholz has the last word on the issue of tank deliveries, but has so far remained silent.
mrc/AFP
