Ramstein Conference on Ukraine: It’s Not Just About Main Battle Tanks

At the Ramstein conference, no decision was made about the delivery of “Leopard” tanks. The fact that Germany is only now checking the stocks is embarrassing, says Oliver Neuroth. But the debate must not only revolve around tanks.

Yes, this Ramstein conference had disappointing moments. Almost a year after the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the German government cannot say how many “Leopard” tanks Germany could supply. That is embarrassing. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is now having the experts in his house discuss this question.

Of course, that should have happened long ago under his predecessor Christine Lambrecht. One can only guess why she didn’t. Perhaps she lacked the foresight for the office. Or Chancellor Scholz has never seriously considered sending “Leopard” tanks to Ukraine.

Long hesitation on this issue can isolate Germany within NATO. Can. Germany’s most important ally is also holding back on supplying battle tanks: the US is not sending any “Abrams” to Ukraine.

Even without “Leopards” meaningful help for Kyiv

This also has something to do with the fact that these tanks are difficult to maintain and consume a lot of fuel – not good conditions for a Ukraine mission. But we don’t know if the US government’s decision would have been fundamentally different if its main battle tanks were easier to handle.

In Ramstein, the United States presented its new $2.5 billion aid package for Ukraine, which includes almost 60 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 90 Stryker wheeled infantry fighting vehicles. That sounds like sensible support in the current situation.

Germany has similar plans and is supplying 40 “Marder” armored personnel carriers, more “Geparden” and a “Patriot” anti-aircraft system. The current debate shouldn’t just be about main battle tanks.

Nobody knows how Moscow would react

This was also made clear by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Ramstein. Even if some defense experts from the traffic light coalition see no potential for escalation in a “Leopard” delivery, we simply don’t know how Russia would react to it. The signals from the Kremlin are too diffuse.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius therefore did not disappoint with his stance in Ramstein that every step in this situation must be carefully considered. This is not procrastination. Germany simply does not want to be drawn into this war.