Leclerc, Leopard and Challenger. All about tanks in Ukraine
Macron did not rule out France sending Leclerc tanks to Ukraine, while German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said a decision on sending Leopards to Ukraine would be made soon.
European risk on the supply of tanks to Ukraine.
The issue of delivering German-made Leopard 2s to Ukraine has dominated recent discussions among the Western allies. Ukrainian officials have been begging Western allies for months to supply them with Leopard tanks, but Germany has refrained from sending them or allowing other NATO countries to export them. Heavy combat vehicles would give Kiev a military edge against Russia, comments the Financial Times . Specifically, the Leopard 2s, which are in use in thirteen European countries, are seen by defense experts as the most suitable for Ukraine, adds Reuters .
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that if Germany does not send tanks to Ukraine, Poland will create a "small coalition" of European countries to send tanks to Ukrainian troops. Berlin would not hinder the sending of tanks, German minister Baerbock surprisingly declared yesterday on French television Lci after the summit between German chancellor Olaf Scholz and French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. On that occasion, Macron did not rule out that France would send Leclerc tanks to Ukraine. So far Berlin has not undertaken to supply the tanks or issue their export license.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said today that a decision on sending Leopards to Ukraine will be made soon.
Meanwhile, threats are coming from Moscow. “The European countries that directly or indirectly contribute to flooding Ukraine with weapons are responsible for it, and the Ukrainian people will pay for this pseudo-support,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by the Interfax news agency . answering a question about the possible supply of German Leopard tanks via third countries, such as Poland.
All the details.
SENDING TANKS TO UKRAINE IS DISCUSSED
Ukraine is expected to receive tanks, but the decision rests with the member states. This was stated today by Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, upon his arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. “I have said several times that, in my personal opinion, this type of weaponry should be supplied to the Ukrainian army,” he said. “We are here to discuss it, but this is a decision for the member states,” he added. “President Zelensky is asking for them. There are different opinions among member states and we will discuss them today,” concluded Borrell.
THE ENGLISH CHALLENGER 2
Several European allies have responded to the call. The UK has said it will supply 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine while the French are considering sending their Leclerc tanks.
MACRON DOES NOT EXCLUDE LECLERC FROM FRANCE
Nothing can be "excluded" regarding the sending of French Leclerc tanks to Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron said this yesterday during a press conference in Paris held alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Elysee Treaty. "As for the Leclercs, I asked the Ministry of Defense to work on them." said the French president. "Nothing is excluded and it is collectively evaluated with respect to three criteria", however specified the French president. The first is "that there is no escalation", the second "that they can provide real and effective support" to Ukraine, and the third is that they do not "weaken our own defense capabilities".
POLAND (AND NOT ONLY) READY TO SEND LEOPARDS
Meanwhile, dozens of other European countries have also indicated they would join a broad coalition to send Leopard, if Germany gives its consent. Poland has even signaled that it could act on its own.
Morawiecki had said that if Germany continued to refuse to supply tanks to Ukraine, "we would set up a 'small coalition' of countries ready to donate some of their modern equipment, their modern tanks." In a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia had also urged Germany "now to supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks," reports the Guardian .
GREEN GERMAN?
Following the meeting of Ukraine's Defense Contact Group in Ramstein on Friday, Germany has not yet committed to supplying the tanks or issuing their export licence. But in an apparent shift in Germany's stance, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday her government would not block Poland if it tries to send its Leopards.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LEOPARDS 2
The Leopard 2 tank is a world-class weapon used by more than a dozen countries. Ukraine sees tanks as another vital part of its defense against Russian forces and the Leopards have seen combat action in Afghanistan and Syria, CNN recalls.
THE COMMENT OF THE ANALYST
Western tanks – such as the American M1 Abrams, the British Challenger 2 or the German-built Leopard 2 – would give the Ukrainian military additional firepower to break through the Russian defensive lines and seize the military initiative before Moscow can . They would also be needed to defend Ukrainian lines against a possible renewed Russian offensive later this year, comments the Financial Times .
The German Leopard has similar capabilities to the US-made Abrams or the UK's Challenger, but also has some advantages, according to military experts. It is lighter and easier to fuel than the American tank, powered by a thirsty turbine engine. It is believed to be more reliable than the Challenger, adds the Ft .
But the crucial advantage is its availability.
What makes them particularly attractive to Kiev is that nearly two-thirds of all Leopards produced are still in Europe.
Thirteen European armies operate around 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. It's unclear how many of these are battle-ready and how many would require a revamp.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/carri-armati-ucraina/ on Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:49:42 +0000.