On Wednesday, Poland has agreed to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of an international coalition. Warsaw aims to lead in achieving a consensus among Western allies about military assistance.
Kyiv's request for heavy military vehicles, such as the German-made Leopard 2, would signal a substantial increase in Western backing for Ukraine.
Ukraine Asks for More Weapons From West
During a visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Andrzej Duda said that a company of Leopard tanks would be sent as part of coalition building. "We desire that it be a worldwide coalition."
Typically, a firm comprises 14 tanks. Duda expressed his hope that Polish tanks and tanks from other nations will soon travel to Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Alongside Duda, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a united decision was required since no nation could equip Kyiv with adequate tanks. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday that Poland intended to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine when a larger alliance was formed.
The Berlin government must approve any re-export of Leopard tanks. Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed his belief in the necessity of coordinating arms supply to Ukraine with partners.
On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the German government stated that it was unaware of any requests from its partners to transfer Leopard combat tanks to Ukraine. According to Financial Times, Britain and Poland have announced their intention to send new heavy tanks to Ukraine, increasing the pressure on Germany and other states to do the same.
Downing Street stated that the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has instructed the defense secretary, Ben Wallace, to "engage with allies" in the following weeks to "move farther and quicker with our support for Ukraine, including the deployment of tanks."
The actions of London and Warsaw will increase the pressure on Berlin to provide its tanks to Kyiv and to grant the necessary approval for other governments to re-export German-made vehicles. Ukraine requires 300 western tanks to free its region from Russian domination.
It possesses its own fleet of tanks constructed by the Soviet Union, including hundreds taken from Russian forces and T-72 vehicles given by Poland and the Czech Republic. However, spare parts and ammo are scarce. With their superior armor and firepower, Western battle tanks would provide Kyiv with new offensive capabilities.
An official of the British government stated, "We are accelerating our support for Ukraine with military technology of the next generation to help them win this war."
Britain is prepared to dispatch its formidable Challenger 2 main combat tank. It would be the first modern western tank sent to Ukraine, but most experts believe the Leopard 2 would serve Ukraine better.
Thirteen European governments operate approximately 2,000 Leopards, giving Kyiv access to a much larger pool. Germany and the United States agreed last week to send infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, which some analysts consider being the crossing of a Rubicon in terms of offensive weaponry.
France stated it would send an undefined number of AMX-10 "tank killer" armored vehicles. Officials in Paris and a few specialists classify the AMX-10 as a "light tank."
However, Germany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has declined to send heavy tanks out of concern that it would be perceived as a significant escalation by Moscow and may potentially draw NATO into the fight.
Scholz stated that Berlin would not act unilaterally; thus, its partners are attempting to form a coalition of nations prepared to send tanks to Ukraine. An official in Paris stated that France is contemplating joining. Scholz's coalition partners support the deployment of Leopards. The Green Party's vice-chancellor Robert Habeck said he would not rule out such a move.
Finland, one of a handful of nations holding Leopard tanks in its inventory and a potential NATO member, has stated that it will wait for a decision from Berlin or to see if other nations have moved to transfer Leopards before taking action.
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German-Made Leopard 2 Tanks
Poland and the United Kingdom have shifted the pressure to provide main battle tanks to Ukraine to Germany and other nations. However, a US official said that Washington had no imminent intentions to supply Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as Kyiv has requested.
Although there may still be impediments to deploying Leopard tanks to Kyiv, Ukraine applauded Duda's decision, as it has long desired the armaments to defend against Russia's continuous aggression. The Leopard-2, created in the 1970s as a primary combat tank, is armed with a 120 mm gun, among other weapons, as per Insider.
Poland's decision and the United Kingdom's thoughts coincide with a strong push by Western nations and NATO partners to provide more heavy equipment to Ukraine.
Last week, the United States, Germany, and France announced their intention to send Western-made armored vehicles to Ukraine for the first time since Russia's massive invasion, therefore enhancing Kyiv's firepower and ground combat capabilities.
In particular, the United States will offer Bradley infantry combat vehicles, while Germany and France will contribute Marder combat vehicles and AMX-10 RC vehicles.
The catastrophic war in Ukraine has become a grinding and slow-moving campaign, with fighting primarily concentrated in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Heavy armor might help potential advances as a result. US authorities have described the fighting in the region as "severe and savage."
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