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Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Jan. 23 that Ukraine is in the final stages of convincing allies to provide Western main battle tanks, including German-made Leopard 2s.
"In terms of tanks, we have half a step left to go," Kuleba said. "We have already received British Challenger tanks.. we are receiving French light tanks. We hear that France is considering providing Leclerc (main battle) tanks. I don't doubt that we'll get Leopards as well, we're in the final stage."
Ukraine has been pleading for modern Western main battle tanks for months but some of its allies dragged their feet.
At the Jan. 20 Ramstein meeting, Ukraine's allies failed to reach an agreement on supplying Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine due to Germany's reluctance to approve tank deliveries.
Poland, Finland and other countries are ready to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine but they need approval from the German government.
If Germany does not authorize Leopard 2 tank supplies to Ukraine, Poland will create a coalition of allies without Germany to supply Leopards to Kyiv anyway, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the Polish Press Agency on Jan. 22.
“We will not passively watch Ukraine bleed to death,” Morawiecki said.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Jan. 22 that Berlin would not oppose Poland's decision to supply German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. However, the German government has yet to formally approve the transfer.
