We will apply to Germany for permission to send Leopards to Ukraine, but even if there is no such consent, we will hand over the tanks as part of the “small coalition” – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. He assessed that a formal request for approval sent to Berlin was a “secondary” issue. He added that “a spark of hope” for Germany’s consent in this matter was the recent statement of the German foreign minister.
On Friday at meeting of the contact group for defense support to Ukraine In the Ramstein base, representatives of 50 countries discussed the possibilities of military assistance. During the meeting, the participants failed to reach an agreement on the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine. The US and other allies expected that Germany they will supply Ukraine with tanks themselves and will allow other countries to do so as a state – manufacturer of these combat vehicles.
Annalena BaerbockGermany’s foreign minister, later said in an interview with French television LCI that her country will not opposeif Poland sends its German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, however, she added that no formal inquiry had been received from Berlin.
Prime Minister: Baerbock’s statement gives a spark of hope
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was asked about the leopard issue on Monday at a press conference at Fabryka Pojazdów Szynowych H. Cegielski in Poznań. – The pressure makes sense. Our efforts, our efforts to build a coalition of states that want to help in this dramatic fight in Ukraine, are proving to be effective, he said.
He added that “we are constantly pressing the government in Berlin to make their Leopards available.” – They have over 350 active Leopards and about 200 in storage. They can really help struggling Ukraine today. This fight also means a fight for security, for peace in Europe, he stressed.
– We are discussing all the time, some time ago I talked with Chancellor Scholz, the Prime Minister (Błaszczak – ed.) talked with the German Minister of National Defense. The pressure makes sense, because this weekend the German foreign minister gave a different message, which gives a glimmer of hope that not only Germany will not block, but maybe they will finally allocate modern heavy equipment to support Ukraine, Morawiecki said.
Leopard 2US Army photo by Pfc. Javon Spence
Prime Minister: If we do not get permission from Germany, we will send tanks as part of a small coalition
When asked whether Poland had already applied to Germany for permission to send Leopards to Ukraine, he replied: – We will apply for such consent, but it is secondary.
– Even if we ultimately did not get this consent, within the framework of a small coalition – even if there were no Germans in it – we will still hand over the tanks together with others to Ukraine. The condition for us is to build at least such a small coalition of states at the moment, he said.
Main photo source: US Army photo by Pfc. Javon Spence