Poland wants approval to supply Leopard to Ukraine Minus 53 degrees – it’s colder than ever in China

Poland will ask the German government for permission to supply German-made Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine.

“We will apply for such a permit, but that is a side issue”said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Poznań on Monday. Even if Poland ultimately failed to win Berlin’s approval, they wanted to act within the framework of a small coalition. “If the Germans are not in this coalition, we will still move our tanks to Ukraine with others,” Morawiecki continued.

According to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Germany would not oppose the supply of Leopard main battle tanks from other countries to Ukraine. “We have not been asked so far and (…) if we were asked, we would not stand in the way,” the Greens politician told French broadcaster LCI on Sunday evening. Baerbock answered the question of what would happen if Poland supplied Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

However, it initially remained unclear whether she actually represented a definitively agreed position of the German government. To supply German-made tanks to other countries, federal government approval is required.

At the Ukraine conference in Ramstein on Friday, Germany had not yet decided to supply main battle tanks to the war zone, despite great pressure from its allies. The Scholz government has also not yet granted delivery licenses to other countries for the tanks produced in Germany.

Poland is exerting pressure on its allies in this matter. Last week, President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw had already decided to supply Ukraine with 14 Leopard main battle tanks if it were done as part of a coalition. Morawiecki had already announced on Sunday that action would be taken without Berlin’s approval if necessary. (saw/sda/dpa)