Germany is ready to supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if the United States sends in Abrams-type tanks, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as saying in a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
The Bild newspaper also reported, based on anonymous sources, that Scholz wants to allow the delivery of Leopards not only by Germany, but also by NATO partners. Poland, for one, is willing to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2s. The condition set by Germany's government is that the U.S. must supply American tanks to Ukraine, Bild reported.
Pressure on Scholz to make a decision on tanks for Ukraine has increased significantly in recent days.
On Friday, Kyiv’s Western allies will meet at the U.S. base in Ramstein, Germany, to discuss further deliveries.
Twenty countries worldwide have modern Leopard 2 tanks. These are produced in Germany and sales contracts stipulate that the German government must approve transfers of the combat vehicles.
