Status: 01/24/2023 11:36 a.m
Poland wants to deliver German “Leopard 2” tanks to Ukraine. The federal government should now have an official application for export. If this is not approved, the government in Warsaw would probably be willing to deliver battle tanks anyway.
Poland has officially applied to the federal government to be able to deliver “Leopard 2” battle tanks to Ukraine. Germany has “already received our request,” Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak explained on Twitter:
He also called on the government in Berlin to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks. “This is our common cause, because it’s about the security of all of Europe,” said the minister.
If necessary, Poland would act without permission
Poland is putting pressure on its allies in the matter. The week before last, President Andrzej Duda said that Warsaw had decided to give Ukraine 14 Leopard battle tanks. In order to supply tanks made in Germany to other countries, the approval of the federal government is actually required.
had on Monday Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that he would ask Germany for this approval. If Poland ultimately does not receive approval from Germany, they want to act within the framework of a small coalition, Morawiecki said. They will then “relocate tanks to Ukraine together with others”.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock declared on Sunday evening that Germany would not block the possible export of “Leopard” tanks from other countries to Ukraine. “At the moment the question hasn’t been asked, but if we were asked, we wouldn’t stand in the way,” she told French television channel LCI at the time. In doing so, she answered the question of what would happen if Poland delivered “Leopard” tanks to Ukraine.
Poland has applied for permission to deliver tanks in Germany
Sophie Rebmann, ARD Warsaw, January 24, 2023 11:55 a.m