Ukraine's FM calls on Germany and US to supply battle tanks
Before his visit to Germany, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal called on the federal government to supply the Ukrainian military with battle tanks to repel russian attackers.
DW reports this.
"We need a change in the philosophy of arms deliveries. By this, I mean: modern battle tanks must also be delivered," Shmyhal said.
"We expect the United States to supply us with its Abrams tanks and Germany with its Leopard-2 tanks. These are the modern tanks that Ukraine needs on the battlefield," he said.
Shmyhal is expected in Berlin on Saturday. On Sunday, he will be received by Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery. He is the highest-ranking Ukrainian politician to visit Berlin since the beginning of russia's war of aggression.
After initial hesitation, Germany recently delivered several heavy weapons to Ukraine: ten Panzerhaubitze 2000 heavy artillery units, 15 anti-aircraft guns, three rocket launchers, and three armored recovery vehicles.
"Germany has made great progress in supporting Ukraine with weapons," Shmyhal said. According to him, Germany first supplied only protective equipment or helmets. Today these are the most modern weapons.
"But, of course, we want to get more weapons and equipment as soon as possible," he said.
Direct deliveries of modern battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles are still taboo for Scholz. No other NATO country has yet transferred such weapons systems to Ukraine.
Earlier, the ruling coalition of Germany advocated direct supplies of tanks to Ukraine.
Ukraine has been trying to get Western-style battle tanks for several months but has not yet received consent for this from the partner states.
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