Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that allied countries will create a smaller coalition that will be ready to share modern tanks if Germany does not agree to hand over Leopard 2 to Ukraine.
He said this in an interview with PAP.
"We will create a smaller coalition of countries ready to donate part of their modern equipment, modern tanks to Ukraine, which is fighting... The decision to support the Ukrainian army is justified both politically and morally. I hope the Germans will understand this sooner or later," Moravetskyi said. He called Germanyʼs current position unacceptable.
"We will not passively watch as Ukraine bleeds out. Ukraine and Europe will win this war — with or without Germany," the Polish Prime Minister emphasized.
In his opinion, the German government should act according to the potential of their state.
“They donʼt need to activate 100 percent of their resources. 30 percent is enough. Even 10 percent. That would be progress. However, first of all, Berlin should not weaken or sabotage the actions of other countries," Moravetskyi said.
He added that Germany "fell into a trap of its own making" by trying to get closer to Russia for years, and the Germans still find it difficult to admit their mistake.
"However, it is up to Germany whether they want to join the end of Russian barbarism or passively observe it, dooming themselves to be on the wrong side of history," Moravetsky emphasized.
- On January 20, the eighth meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine was held at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the Western allies at the Ramstein-style meeting have not yet reached an agreement on providing Ukraine with Leopard 2 main battle tanks. According to him, Germany does not block this decision.
- At the same time, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, announced that the Ukrainian military will already begin training to operate Leopard tanks. This means that as soon as a political decision on deliveries is made, the Ukrainian army will be able to use these tanks immediately.
- White House spokesman for national security and defense John Kirby said that Germany is going through "its own process" on the issue of providing Leopard tanks to Ukraine. According to him, the United States does not put pressure on the Germans.
- According to Business Insider, former German Defense Minister Lambrecht, before her resignation , banned the Bundeswehrʼs inventory of tanks in order to delay the governmentʼs response to the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.