German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces growing pressure at home and abroad to grant Ukraine access to German-made main battle tanks following the United Kingdom’s decision to provide a squadron of Challenger IIs.
“I think it becomes more and more untenable to say we will block this,” Germany’s Reinhard Butikofer, a senior member of the European Parliament, told the Washington Examiner."As long as nobody else volunteered to provide such tanks, Germany could argue ... ‘We don't want to move just alone on our own.’ But now, everybody else is willing to move.”
“It is hoped that the example set by the French and us will allow those countries holding Leopard tanks to donate as well,” he said. “All of this currently relies on the German government decisions — not only whether the Germans will supply their own Leopards but whether or not they'll get permissions for others. I would urge my German colleagues to do that.”
Germany has agreed to send some heavy weapons to Ukraine, including multiple launch rocket systems, infantry fighting vehicles, and a Patriot battery. But Scholz — who, in contrast to Polish officials, reportedly fears that an influx of Western heavy weaponry to Ukraine could “lead to a third world war” — granted that aid only after President Joe Biden decided that the United States would do the same.
“There is a difference between making a decision for oneself and preventing the decision of others,” Habeck said last week. “And accordingly, Germany should not stand in the way when other countries make decisions to support Ukraine, regardless of what decision Germany makes.”
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