Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) Poland announced on Monday it would seek German approval to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki noted that Warsaw plans to provide tanks to Ukraine even if Germany rejects the request as long as other allies send tanks as well, according to Reuters reporting on Monday.
“Even if we did not get this approval… we would still transfer our tanks together with others to Ukraine,” he stressed and added “the condition for us at the moment is to build at least a small coalition of countries.”
Morawiecki pointed out that Poland can only provide around 14 tanks, stressing that the transfer would only make sense if other countries made similar moves. Approximately 20 countries use German tanks, including Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the Netherlands.
Germany has to approve re-export of Leopards, but has warned that the move could escalate the conflict and noted that NATO allies have not yet asked for permission to provide Ukraine with tanks.
Germany to approve the move
German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock noted on Sunday that Berlin would not prevent Poland from sending tanks to Ukraine.
Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed belief that “there are no good arguments why battle tanks cannot be provided” and stressed “the argument of escalation does not work because Russia continues escalating.”
Meanwhile, The Ukrainian government headed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is facing a corruption scandal which could have an impact on Western support for his administration.
After reports that Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly bought food at inflated prices, an investigation into bribery accusations was launched and a deputy minister stepped down.
The UK previously announced it would provide 14 Challenger tanks to Ukraine, while President of France Emmanuel Macron noted that Paris was thinking about sending Leclerc tanks.
Russian officials commented on the split over supplying Ukraine with tanks, stressing that it shows growing “nervousness” among NATO members.
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin Press Secretary, stated “but of course all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility” for prolonging the war.
