The government has yet to commit to Leopard deliveries.
An expert is extremely critical of this behavior in the Ukraine war.
Berlin/Kyiv - While the demands for the German Leopard tanks are getting louder, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) still does not want to commit himself.
The behavior, which is perceived as hesitation, has been sharply criticized both nationally and internationally.
Now a military expert is going even further, claiming that Ukraine's war is lost if supplies fail.
“We have to act quickly now.
If we don't deliver these weapons now, Ukraine will lose this war and that's what we all want to prevent.
That's why there seems to be no alternative to supplying these weapons," said political scientist Andrea Römmele from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin in an interview with ORF moderator Armin Wolf.
On Monday evening (January 23) she explained in the Austrian program "Zeit im Bild 2" that the left wing of the SPD would be "the big brake pad" because it would rely on negotiations and prudence.
According to Römmele, Scholz confuses "silence with strength", while the Greens "show themselves to be a true governing party".
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A German Leopard main battle tank at the Tata army base in Hungary.
(archive photo)
© Attila Kisbenedek/AFP
Tank deliveries to Ukraine: Government does not want to block third countries
“There's nothing wrong with having heated debates when it comes to key issues.
But this must be done behind closed doors.
Then a quick decision has to be made," said Römmele.
Although the Federal Republic is one of the largest donors in the Ukraine war, Germany is "not ready to assume a leadership role".
This is enormously damaging to the reputation - because the expert expects that the government will sooner or later deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
"It's like an acid is gradually eating away at every layer of trust.
Germany's hesitation could have lasting consequences for the rest of Europe," a senior, unspecified NATO diplomat told US broadcaster
CNN
.
The pressure on Germany is also increasing within the EU.
Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness
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Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) announced on French television that the federal government would not block the export of Leopard tanks from third countries - despite all the criticism, the government had not received any such applications for days.
As it became known on Tuesday (January 24), Poland has now become the first country to apply to be able to supply a Leopard main battle tank to Ukraine.
(nak)
List of rubrics: © Attila Kisbenedek/AFP