Poland puts more pressure on Germany to provide tanks to Ukraine

Poland claims it will send German-made battle tanks to Ukraine, but only after receiving Berlin’s consent.

As Kiev asks its allies for heavy equipment, Poland has said it is willing to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine without permission, but first it would ask Berlin for permission.

In the latest boost to the multibillion-dollar effort to help Ukraine fight back Russian soldiers, European governments decided on Monday to pay an additional 500 million euros ($543 million) to arm Kiev.

While a large number of countries have contributed military gear, Kyiv is clamouring for more sophisticated and strong weapons, particularly the potent Leopard 2, which is thought to be essential for breaking through enemy lines.

Berlin has come under fire for delaying making the crucial decision that will allow the tanks to be shipped back to Ukraine.

After days of pressure and back and forth, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday that Germany would not object if Poland asked for Leopard 2 tanks.

Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister of Poland, told reporters on Monday, “We will seek this consent.”

Morawiecki didn’t say exactly when he would ask Germany to do something. According to him, Poland is assembling a group of countries that is prepared to deliver Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.

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Even if we didn’t get this permission in the end, Morawiecki said, “We will still give Ukraine our tanks as part of a small group of countries, even though Germany isn’t part of that group.”

Earlier this month, Poland declared that it was prepared to send 14 Leopard tanks to Kiev but was awaiting a clear signal from Berlin approving the transfer.

Berlin has stressed that cooperation among allies is essential.

This position was reinforced on Monday by the spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said that while the government “does not exclude” the transfer of the tanks, it has not yet made a decision.

Berlin has contributed much, yet despite this, it has frequently come under fire for delaying the delivery of military equipment.

The measure attempts to stop German-made weapons from being used against Germany’s interests in war zones.

The most recent information on Western Europe sending tanks to Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, “signalled increased unease among members of the alliance.”

About 50 nations decided on Friday to send Kyiv military equipment worth billions of dollars, including armoured vehicles and ammunition required to repel Russian forces.

According to diplomats, European foreign ministers decided on Monday to invest an additional 543 million euros to arm Ukraine. The entire amount spent by the European Union as a whole is now 3.6 billion euros ($3.9 billion).

The tanks are crucial to Ukraine’s campaign in the conflict, which has witnessed intense fighting in the east of the country.

As the war enters its second year, neither side shows any indications of giving up.

RESOURCES: NEWSPAPERS AND AL JAZEERA