Foreign Minister: Germany will not keep Poland from transferring Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine

Germany will not keep Poland from sending German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said this in an interview for LCI, DW reports.

However, according to her, Warsaw has not yet asked Berlin to allow the transfer of tanks to Ukraine.

To the question if Poland decided to send its Leopard 2 tanks without German approval, Baerbock answered:

“If we were asked we would not stand in the way.”

L’Allemagne franchit un seuil inédit sur @LCI par la voix de la ministre A.Baerbock. Elle «ne s’opposerait pas» si la Pologne envoie les Léopards.
-J'ai bien entendu, vous avez dit, si les Polonais l'envoient, vous ne vous y opposeriez pas?
-A.Baerbock: Vous m'avez bien compris. pic.twitter.com/HGykBGhocL

— Darius Rochebin (@DariusRochebin) January 22, 2023

“We know how important these tanks are and this is why we are discussing this now with our partners. We need to make sure people’s lives are saved and Ukraine’s territory liberated,” Annalena Baerbock added.

At the same time, the journalist specified whether he correctly understood that Germany would not object if Poland sent Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

To which the head of the German Foreign Ministry replied: “You heard me correctly.”

As previously reported, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki believes that if Germany does not agree to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the allies should create a smaller coalition to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

He stated that he considered Germany’s procrastination unacceptable and emphasized that Berlin had to untie the hands of other allies at least.

“If Germany does not agree on the Leopard, then we will build a smaller coalition of countries ready to share their modern tanks with Ukraine. We will not just watch Ukraine bleed… Ukraine and Europe will win this war – with or without Germany,” Mateusz Morawiecki said.

Previously, the German Spiegel reported that Germany could hand over 19 Leopard 2A5 tanks to Ukraine, those tanks were used to depict enemy forces in the Bundeswehr combat training centers – they simulated enemy tanks during maneuvers.