Both US & Germany Now ‘Leaning’ Toward Authorizing Heavy Tanks For Ukraine

At the moment, a reluctant German government is coming under immense pressure to allow its Leopard 2 main battle tanks to be transferred to Ukrainian forces. Poland is leading the way in this pressure campaign. 

“The announcement would be part of a broader diplomatic understanding with Germany in which Berlin would agree to send a smaller number of its own Leopard 2 tanks and would also approve the delivery of more of the German-made tanks by Poland and other nations,” WSJ continues. “It would settle a trans-Atlantic disagreement over the tanks that had threatened to open fissures as the war drags into the end of its first year.”

Earlier this month Berlin signaled that would authorize the Leopards if Washington made the first move and took the initiative on sending the Abrams.

As of Tuesday the Polish government says it has formally submitted its request to Berlin to send the tanks. Germany by law must first authorize these transfers of its German-manufactured military items by other nations.

“The Germans have already received our request for consent to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine,” Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak confirmed on Tuesday. “I also appeal to the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.”

Despite prior signals that Berlin would not be approving the transfer anytime soon for stated reasons of wishing to avoid escalation with Russia, as predicted it looks as if Germany is weakening under pressure.

Bloomberg reports Tuesday that “Germany is expected to give Poland approval as soon as Wednesday to re-export its German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the decision is private.”

This despite repeat warnings from Russian officials this week that ‘global catastrophe’ could be unleashed if the West keeps pumping heavier weapons in the conflict, also amid nuclear escalation warnings.