PM: If Germany doesn't cooperate, Poland will create coalition to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
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.
He lambasted Germany's reluctance to authorize the deliveries of German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
"Germany's attitude is unacceptable. It has been almost a year since the war began. Innocent people are dying every day," Morawiecki said. "Russian bombs are wreaking havoc in Ukrainian cities. Civilian targets are being attacked, women and children are being murdered".
At the Jan. 20 Ramstein meeting, Ukraine's allies failed to reach an agreement on supplying German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine due to Germany's reluctance to approve tank deliveries.
Poland, Finland and other countries are ready to supply German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine but they need approval from the German government.
Since the beginning of Russia's all-out invasion in February 2022, the German government has been criticized for delaying and blocking arms supplies to Ukraine. Amid pressure from the media, the public and NATO allies, Germany has increased its arms supplies to Ukraine but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is still accused of being reluctant to antagonize Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
There have been media reports that Scholz had agreed to supply Leopard 2 tanks only if the U.S. delivers Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The German government has denied the reports.
The U.S. has so far refused to supply Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
Several Congressmen have called on the U.S. government to supply Abrams tanks to Ukraine as a way to get the Germans on board.
