BRUSSELS – European foreign ministers on Monday again pressed Berlin to let its allies send their German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Western allies failed to reach an agreement on sending Ukraine heavy battle tanks when they pledged billions of dollars worth of support last week at an American air base in Germany.
Germany’s Leopard tanks, fielded by armies across Europe, are widely seen as the best fit for Ukraine as it battles Russia’s much larger army, but Berlin must authorise their sale and has yet to do so.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday Berlin would not stand in the way if Poland wants to send its tanks.
Arriving at the meeting in Brussels on Monday, she declined to elaborate on those comments in detail or say if she was speaking for the whole government, but said it was important to “do everything we can to defend Ukraine”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said if Kyiv does get tanks from its allies, Ukrainians would “pay the price for all this pseudo-support”.
“But of course all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility (for continuing the conflict),” he added.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left Social Democrat party believes the West should avoid sudden moves that might escalate the war. But a number of allies reject that position, saying Russia is already fully committed to its assault on Ukraine.
“At this point, there are no good arguments why battle tanks cannot be provided,” Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said. “The argument of escalation does not work, because Russia continues escalating.”
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the tanks should not be held up one more day, while Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said Germany, as an “engine of Europe”, had particular responsibility to help Ukraine.
Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said Russia could win the war if Europeans “don’t help Ukraine with what they need now”. REUTERS
