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After months of discussions, the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine is approaching. According to media reports, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is now willing to do so – but only under certain conditions. According to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and the “Bild”, Scholz made it clear in a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden that Germany can only supply if the US in turn supplies Ukraine with its own Abrams main battle tanks.

The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, called the delivery of Leopard tanks to Kiev overdue and a “moral obligation”. But according to a study commissioned by the dpa, the population in this country remains largely skeptical about this plan.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Berlin on Wednesday evening to discuss further support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia. On Thursday morning he will meet the new Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), who will be sworn in tomorrow morning in the Bundestag and then take over official business.

“Bild” reported, citing government circles, Scholz wants to allow German Leopard deliveries as well as NATO partners – if the US also makes its Abrams tanks available. As a result, the Chancellor is concerned that Europe and the US will only give battle tanks to Kiev together, so that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot split NATO. The Chancellery did not want to comment on the reports in the evening.

According to reports, the US is preparing new major arms shipments to Ukraine. The news portal “Politico” reported on Wednesday, citing informed circles, that the United States is considering, among other things, the delivery of Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers. The US is not currently expected to approve deliveries of its own Abrams main battle tanks, the report said. The reason is the extensive maintenance and training on the main battle tank. There was initially no official confirmation of this.

This Friday, the defense ministers of several dozen countries will meet at Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate to discuss further military support to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expects the meeting to send a signal that there are “more heavier weapons and more modern weapons” for Ukraine.

The provision of Western-style main battle tanks will play a central role in this. Great Britain has already announced it, Poland and Finland are prepared to do so in the European association. Germany plays a key role because this is where the Leopard 2 tanks are produced. The federal government must approve any transfer of these tanks, which are owned by 20 countries.

The Leopard 2 is considered one of the best main battle tanks in the world. The Ukrainians want to use him to break through enemy lines in what has been a fairly static trench warfare lately.

Heusgen criticized that the delivery of the main battle tank had been delayed. “When we see the terrible suffering caused by the Russians in the occupied territories, there is also a moral obligation when it comes to main battle tanks,” he told the German news agency. President Vladimir Putin does not deviate one bit from his policy. “And then you just have to say: unfortunately this man only understands the language of hardness.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly confirmed that the West is hesitant to supply arms. At this time, it is particularly important to anticipate Russia’s military mobilization, he said on Wednesday. “The supply of Western main battle tanks should prevent another invasion with Russian main battle tanks.”

In Germany, too, there were renewed demands from the opposition Union, but also from coalition partners FDP and the Greens, to supply the Ukraine with Leopard main battle tanks as quickly as possible. Pistorius must work “that we finally make Leopard 2 available for Ukraine,” Green politician Anton Hofreiter told the t-online portal. The FDP defense expert Alexander Müller told the “Handelsblatt” that German industry should now be quickly ordered to repair older Leopard 1 main battle tanks that are in stock.

That is what deputy head of the defense committee, Henning Otte (CDU), told the editorial network Germany (RND). “The most urgent question now is: does Germany supply main battle tanks? I hope Pistorius can beat Scholz and not remain the chancellor’s deputy agent like Mrs. Lambrecht. Former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) resigned this week. (aeg/sda/dpa)