Germany has agreed to provide Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine after weeks of hesitation and tense communications with its European partners, according to a report by Der Spiegel on Tuesday night.
According to the article, Berlin had promised to allow its allies to transport German-made tanks to Kyiv and to provide Kyiv with at least one tank company consisting of 14 tanks, as required by the terms of its arms sales.
According to the publication, Germany will equip Ukraine with tanks from its own Bundeswehr stockpiles, but it may also subsequently send new Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that Washington looked to have given up on opposing the transfer of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, and that France appeared ready to provide Kyiv with tanks as well.
According to reports, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had recently come under increased pressure from his coalition partners in the government, the Greens and Free Democrats, to authorise the sale of tanks to Ukraine.
According to Der Spiegel, the decision was reached after lengthy conversations with Germany’s American partners because Scholz was adamant that Washington would not proceed with the tank transfer unless it also provided Kyiv with its own battle tanks.
