Habeck thinks delivery of German Leopard tanks is "a bit too late"

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Economics Minister Habeck: "Doing what we can do at the moment"

Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa

In January, the West agreed to deliver heavy battle tanks to Ukraine.

But from the point of view of Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens), they will probably arrive too late in the war country.

The timing of the German tank deliveries to the Ukraine was "a bit too late," Habeck told Die Zeit.

"But at least it's happened now," Habeck continued: "With the decision to now deliver Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks, we are doing what we can currently do."

To justify his criticism of the delivery speed, Habeck said: "Everyone is expecting a terrible Russian offensive. Russia has already intensified the attacks in recent weeks.

Time is running out."

On the other hand, he rejected the Ukrainian demand for combat aircraft.

"This isn't a debate we're having," Habeck said.

Germany is currently concentrating on “quickly bringing the Leopard 2 tanks, the Leopard 1 tanks and everything else to the Ukraine.” It is an important German goal not to become a party to the war itself.

"That's a limit that we have to be careful about," says Habeck.

On January 25, the German government announced the goal of providing the Ukraine with two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks.

In Ukraine, these are usually equipped with 31 tanks each.

As a first step, Germany itself wants to give up 14 tanks.

The others should come from partner countries.

The first tanks could be delivered to Ukraine in just under three months.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again insisted on speeding up military aid.

"We see that the Kremlin is trying to squeeze any potential for aggression out of Russia," said Zelenskyy in his evening video message on Tuesday.

"They are in a hurry, because they know that the world is stronger in the end, but that it needs time to unfold its power." That's why quick help is now important.

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