Ukraine allies fail to reach agreement on tanks
Western defense officials convened in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday, January 20, could not overcome divisions over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine.
Defense leaders meeting at a United States air base in Germany on Friday, January 20, failed to resolve a dispute over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine after more than five hours of discussions about sending more military aid to the embattled country in its war with Russia.
The defense minister of Poland, which has pledged a company of 14 Leopard tanks on condition that other countries also supply them, said 15 countries that have the German-made Leopards discussed the issue but no decisions were made.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak called the meeting a "good discussion among allies" and said the matter would be discussed again at future talks.
Read more Western tanks in the war in Ukraine: An overview of their role and tactical utilityThough the issue over tanks was unresolved, Germany’s new defense minister suggested the issue was still moving forward.
Germany would need to consent for the tanks to be given to Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. Despite pleas from Ukrainian officials, Germany has so far resisted mounting pressure to quickly supply Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to deliver them from their own stocks.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that while there was no resolution yet, "we will make our decisions as soon as possible."
He said he had ordered the ministry to look into the tank stocks Germany has so he can be prepared for a possible green light and be able to "act immediately." Pistorius added that Germany will "balance all the pros and cons before we decide things like that."
The defense leaders opened their day by hearing an impassioned plea for more military aid from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking live via video, he said "terror does not allow for discussion."
Read more European countries increase their military aid to UkraineUkrainian leaders have criticized Germany for what they see as holding back critical assistance in the war. But US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended German leaders after the meeting. Asked by a reporter if Germany was doing enough to show "real leadership" in Europe, Austin replied: "Yes, but we can all do more."
Austin said Ukraine was expected to mount a counteroffensive against Russia this spring and called on allies to step up arms shipments to help Kyiv prepare.
"We have a window of opportunity here between now and the spring... whenever they commence their operation, their counteroffensive," he said. "That's not a long time and we have to pull together the right capabilities."
Austin also downplayed the immediate importance of tanks, noting that Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley armored vehicles being sent for the first time would give Ukraine new capabilities in the war. "This isn't really about one single platform," he said.
Meanwhile, a Kremlin spokesman said the deployment of Western tanks would trigger "unambiguously negative" consequences.
"All these tanks will require both maintenance and repairs, and so on, so (sending them) will add to Ukraine’s problems but will not change anything with regard to the Russian side achieving its goals," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.
The US has declined, at least so far, to provide M1 Abrams tanks, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicle. The US believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.
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The United Kingdom announced last week that it would send Challenger 2 tanks, describing that move as a natural progression of military aid to Ukraine.