Tags: leopard 2 | olaf scholz | germany | ukraine | nato

Germany Blocks Tanks for Ukraine as Casualties Mount

german chancellor olaf scholz stands facing the camera
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands at a ceremony at Schloss Bellevue in Berlin to appoint incoming German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius Thursday. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

By    |   Friday, 20 January 2023 01:35 PM EST

Germany is blocking the delivery of critical tanks and spare parts to Ukraine, a move the Ukrainian government says already has caused serious loss of life there.

Germany had promised the delivery of its Leopard 2 tank, but as of yet, has reneged on those promises.

Ukrainian sources say other European nations that have Leopard 2's in their militaries also are being blocked by Germany from sharing the critically needed armor.

Specifically, Germany also is not sharing parts that make many of the tanks fully operational.

On Friday, the United States and Finland announced large new military aid packages before a gathering of defense ministers from NATO and other countries at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

At the conference, Germany again balked at agreeing to the transfer of tanks and parts, saying it would need agreement from allies to give the green light for the delivery to Ukraine to fend off Moscow's invasion.

During a break in Friday's meeting, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius denied claims that Germany was standing in the way, but also said there was no agreement.

A Ukrainian source tells Newsmax that "is simply a lie."

"The Germans are the ones blocking this and thousands of innocent Ukrainians are dying as a result," the source said.

"There is no unified consensus," Pistorius told reporters, The New York Times reported.

"The impression that has occasionally been created that there is a united coalition and that Germany is standing in the way is wrong.

"None of us can say today when a decision will be made and what the decision will be on the Leopard tanks."

Pistorius has not said which, if any, allies were not in agreement with supplying the tanks, or given details of what he saw as the pros and cons of such a policy.

Pistorius said he had ordered his department to take an inventory of Leopard 1 and 2 tanks and to have the army prepare for training of Ukrainian soldiers.

This is not the first time Germany has reneged on its military promises in the wake of Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Shortly after the war began in February, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to raise his nation's military spending, saying Berlin would increase expenditures to 2% of GDP, a benchmark for NATO nations.

Since then, Germany has taken no steps to increase its spending commitment and has delayed any new military expenditures until 2025 or later.

Reuters contributed to this story.

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


GlobalTalk
Germany is blocking the delivery of critical tanks and spare parts to Ukraine, a move the Ukrainian government says has already caused serious loss of life there.
leopard 2, olaf scholz, germany, ukraine, nato
411
2023-35-20
Friday, 20 January 2023 01:35 PM
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