Germany agrees to provide Ukraine with advanced battle tanks

well, Mr Prime Minister, it's great to see you again. We've been many, many meetings together, but it's good to have you here in the oval office and together we're stepping up our protection for democratic values across the world. And uh and we're, you know, we've been including standing strong with Ukraine, you've been very very stalwart and we look to you as well to make sure we have *** coherent european response to all europe response to Ukraine. And Russia is just continuing to act in ways that are almost unbelievable brutality. And together we're working on how to keep *** free and open indo, pacific and quite frankly meet the challenges of china simply put our companies, our countries have been so far and just lockstep and what we've done in our vision for the future. And thank you again, Mr Minister, we've had *** great relationship with other countries personally. And I look forward to discussing *** lot more in detail. Thank you so much. And also thank you for hosting me. It's the first time in my five visits at the fireplace is all. And typically I would start with the economy and then I would have told the press that we are the second biggest investor in the U. S. And United States is the biggest investor in europe. But I think we should talk to Craig and we have seen this terrible footage coming out of the nipple this weekend were innocent Children, men and women again, we're in *** rocket fire and this apartment building was hit and many people died. These are horrible pictures and I think it's, It strengthens even more. Our resolve to stay with Ukraine and I want to commend you personally in the United States for your leadership. I'm convinced that history will judge that in 2022, if the United States would not have stepped up like you did, that, things would have been very different at the moment in the fight between ambition, aggression and and then on accountability, we can never accept that Putin and Russia get away with this. So accountability to take them to court to make sure that this all gets done in also in *** legal way is crucial. And I know that you and I are working on this. But again, your leadership, United States, you personally has been crucial. So again, I want to thank you for this and let's stay closely together this year and hopefully things will move you forward in *** way which is acceptable for Ukraine. They've done so much and this year will be important

After weeks of hesitation that saw growing impatience among Germany's allies, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Wednesday that his government would provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 battle tanks and approve requests by other countries to do the same.Video above: Netherlands says it will send Patriot assistance to UkraineIn a statement, the government said it would initially provide Ukraine with one company of Leopard 2 A6 tanks, which comprises 14 vehicles, from its own stocks. The goal is for Germany and its allies to provide Ukraine with a total of two battalions, or 88 tanks.Scholz said Germany was “acting in close coordination” with its allies.The long-awaited decision came after U.S. officials said a preliminary agreement had been struck for the United States to send M1 Abrams tanks to help Kyiv push back Russian forces entrenched in the east almost a year since the start of the war.Scholz had insisted that any move to provide Ukraine with powerful Leopard 2 tanks would need to be closely coordinated with Germany's allies, chiefly the United States. By getting Washington to commit some of its own tanks Berlin hopes to spread the risk of any backlash from Russia.Ekkehard Brose, head of the German military’s Federal Academy for Security Policy, said tying the United States into the decision was crucial, to avoid Europe facing a nuclear-armed Russia alone.But he also noted the deeper historic significance of the decision.“German-made tanks will face off against Russian tanks in Ukraine once more,” he said, adding that this was “not an easy thought” for Germany, which takes its responsibility for the horrors of World War II seriously.“And yet it is the right decision,” Brose said, arguing that it was up to Western democracies to help Ukraine stop Russia’s military campaign.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described German and U.S. intentions with the tanks as a “a rather disastrous plan.”“I am convinced that many specialists understand the absurdity of this idea,” Peskov told reporters Wednesday.“Simply because of technological aspects, this is a rather disastrous plan. The main thing is, this is a completely obvious overestimation of the potential (the supply of tanks) would add to the armed forces of Ukraine. It is yet another fallacy, a rather profound one,” the Kremlin official said.Peskov predicted “these tanks will burn down just like all the other ones. ... Except they cost a lot, and this will fall on the shoulders of European taxpayers.” he added.Members of Scholz's three-party coalition government welcomed the news ahead of the official announcement.“The Leopard’s freed!” said German lawmaker Katrin Goering-Eckardt, a senior Green party lawmaker.Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a member of the Free Democratic Party who chairs the parliamentary defense committee, said the news was “a relief for a mistreated and brave Ukraine.”“The decision to approve (other countries’ requests) and supply the Leopard 2 was arduous, but unavoidable,” she said.Strack-Zimmermann had been one of the loudest voices calling for a swift decision on arms supplies to Ukraine.Two smaller opposition parties criticized the move, however.The far-right Alternative for Germany called the decision “irresponsible and dangerous.”“Germany risks being drawn directly into the war as a result,” its co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, said. The party, known by its acronym AfD, has friendly ties to Russia.The Left party, which also has historic links to Moscow, warned of a possible escalation in the conflict.“The supply of Leopard battle tanks, which ends a further taboo, potentially takes us closer to a third world war than in the direction of peace in Europe,” the party's parliamentary leader, Dietmar Bartsch, told German news agency dpa.Recent opinion polls showed German voters split on the idea.The pressure on Scholz mounted this week after Poland formally asked Germany to approve sending Leopard 2 tanks from Polish stocks to Ukraine.Poland's prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, accused Germany of “delaying, being evasive and acting in a way that is difficult to understand" when it came to supplying tanks, and went so far as to claim that Berlin appeared not to want to help Ukraine.Other European nations have also indicated willingness to part with their own battle tanks as part of a larger coalition.Germany news weekly Der Spiegel reported that Berlin could initially approve the supply of one tank company, comprising 14 vehicles.But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made clear late Tuesday that he hoped to receive a more substantial number of tanks from western allies.“It is not about five, or 10, or 15 tanks. The need is greater,” he said.

Video above: Netherlands says it will send Patriot assistance to Ukraine

In a statement, the government said it would initially provide Ukraine with one company of Leopard 2 A6 tanks, which comprises 14 vehicles, from its own stocks. The goal is for Germany and its allies to provide Ukraine with a total of two battalions, or 88 tanks.

Scholz said Germany was “acting in close coordination” with its allies.

The long-awaited decision came after U.S. officials said a preliminary agreement had been struck for the United States to send M1 Abrams tanks to help Kyiv push back Russian forces entrenched in the east almost a year since the start of the war.

Scholz had insisted that any move to provide Ukraine with powerful Leopard 2 tanks would need to be closely coordinated with Germany's allies, chiefly the United States. By getting Washington to commit some of its own tanks Berlin hopes to spread the risk of any backlash from Russia.

Ekkehard Brose, head of the German military’s Federal Academy for Security Policy, said tying the United States into the decision was crucial, to avoid Europe facing a nuclear-armed Russia alone.

But he also noted the deeper historic significance of the decision.

“German-made tanks will face off against Russian tanks in Ukraine once more,” he said, adding that this was “not an easy thought” for Germany, which takes its responsibility for the horrors of World War II seriously.

“And yet it is the right decision,” Brose said, arguing that it was up to Western democracies to help Ukraine stop Russia’s military campaign.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described German and U.S. intentions with the tanks as a “a rather disastrous plan.”

“I am convinced that many specialists understand the absurdity of this idea,” Peskov told reporters Wednesday.

“Simply because of technological aspects, this is a rather disastrous plan. The main thing is, this is a completely obvious overestimation of the potential (the supply of tanks) would add to the armed forces of Ukraine. It is yet another fallacy, a rather profound one,” the Kremlin official said.

Peskov predicted “these tanks will burn down just like all the other ones. ... Except they cost a lot, and this will fall on the shoulders of European taxpayers.” he added.

Members of Scholz's three-party coalition government welcomed the news ahead of the official announcement.

“The Leopard’s freed!” said German lawmaker Katrin Goering-Eckardt, a senior Green party lawmaker.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a member of the Free Democratic Party who chairs the parliamentary defense committee, said the news was “a relief for a mistreated and brave Ukraine.”

“The decision to approve (other countries’ requests) and supply the Leopard 2 was arduous, but unavoidable,” she said.

Strack-Zimmermann had been one of the loudest voices calling for a swift decision on arms supplies to Ukraine.

Two smaller opposition parties criticized the move, however.

The far-right Alternative for Germany called the decision “irresponsible and dangerous.”

“Germany risks being drawn directly into the war as a result,” its co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, said. The party, known by its acronym AfD, has friendly ties to Russia.

The Left party, which also has historic links to Moscow, warned of a possible escalation in the conflict.

“The supply of Leopard battle tanks, which ends a further taboo, potentially takes us closer to a third world war than in the direction of peace in Europe,” the party's parliamentary leader, Dietmar Bartsch, told German news agency dpa.

Recent opinion polls showed German voters split on the idea.

The pressure on Scholz mounted this week after Poland formally asked Germany to approve sending Leopard 2 tanks from Polish stocks to Ukraine.

Poland's prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, accused Germany of “delaying, being evasive and acting in a way that is difficult to understand" when it came to supplying tanks, and went so far as to claim that Berlin appeared not to want to help Ukraine.

Other European nations have also indicated willingness to part with their own battle tanks as part of a larger coalition.

Germany news weekly Der Spiegel reported that Berlin could initially approve the supply of one tank company, comprising 14 vehicles.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made clear late Tuesday that he hoped to receive a more substantial number of tanks from western allies.

“It is not about five, or 10, or 15 tanks. The need is greater,” he said.

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