Eight countries to transfer Leopard tanks to Ukraine, says Pentagon chief
Austin opened the ninth Ramstein, where aid to Ukraine will be discussed (Photo:Johanna Geron/Reuters)
Eight countries will transfer Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during the opening of theninth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Feb. 14.
“A consortium of countries — including Germany, Poland, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands — are working together to provide Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine,” he said.
For more armored power, the United States, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands are jointly providing more than 90 T-72 tanks, the Pentagon chief added.
In addition, according to Austin, the United Kingdom has provided a company of Challenger main battle tanks and has worked with several countries to source more ammunition for Ukraine’s defenders.
Germany, after much hesitation, approved the transfer of 14 Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine and their re-export from partner countries on Jan. 25. The same day, the United States announced that it would send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the first tanks could be sent to Ukraine by the end of March.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian defenders needed 300-500 tanks to launch an offensive.
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