United to win: Spain to send Leopard tanks and armored vehicles to Ukraine
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Spain will deliver the last four Leopard tanks, which have not yet been sent, to Ukraine with ten more armored personnel carriers, trucks, all-terrain vehicles, ambulances, and a mobile hospital.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced this in a video conference with defense ministers of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, known as the Ramstein format.
What problem?
On July 18, another meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group took place in the Ramstein format, where ministers discussed the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 and provided the Armed Forces of Ukraine with additional air defense systems, other weapons, and ammunition.
"The 14th Ramstein demonstrated the constant support of our partners in Ukraine. The priority is the supply of weapons and equipment necessary to liberate Ukrainian territory. We are focusing on air defense, ammunition, and armor," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said.
However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine need constant support, and the partner countries are trying to fill the gaps in the supply of equipment and weapons.
What is the solution?
The meeting in the Ramstein format, as explained in the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Spain, "strengthens the idea of the unity of allies and partners who managed to analyze the latest events in the conflict and agree on mechanisms to effectively meet the most urgent needs of Ukraine at a crucial moment."
How does it work?
The last four Leopard tanks that have not yet been delivered will be sent from Spain to Ukraine, along with ten armored personnel carriers, trucks, all-terrain vehicles, and ambulances.
At the meeting, the Spanish minister clarified that transportation would occur by sea.
In addition to the last four Leopard 2A4 tanks, the following will be sent to Ukraine after appropriate major repairs: ten armored personnel carriers, several armored all-terrain vehicles, several light trucks, and several ambulances.
The minister also mentioned transferring a reinforced field hospital from Spain to Ukraine in her speech. It has emergency surgery capabilities. It has necessary postoperative facilities, a pharmacy, sterilization, a laboratory, and two hospitalization modules.
The field hospital left Spain on Tuesday, and its arrival in Poland, from where it will transit to Ukraine, is scheduled for July 23.
Robles said Ukrainian doctors and support staff returned on Monday "after two weeks of intensive training in Zaragoza. They can deploy, configure and manage this hospital in the conflict zone."
The minister also noted the relevance of the training coordination center in Toledo, where military personnel is currently being trained, and once again declared Spain's commitment to supporting Ukraine in its quest for a "complete, just, and lasting peace."
As reported, Spain sent the first six Leopard tanks to Ukraine in April.
