Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany announces talks on Leopard tank and Marder IFV supply to Ukraine
Oleksii Makeiev (Photo:REUTERS/Michele Tantussi)
Talks between the Ukrainian government and Germany on the delivery of Leopard tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles are ongoing, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, revealed in an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag on Dec. 11.
He added Ukraine is currently most in need of additional air-defense systems, Gepard anti-aircraft systems, howitzers, and ammunition.
"In direct talks, we were assured of more weapons and more ammunition,” Makeiev said.
“Which ones, we will jointly announce in due course.”
Makeiev also said that he did not want to put diplomatic pressure on Germany, but did wish Berlin to deliver what it has more quickly, and not in a matter of months – as it was with IRIS-T air-defense systems.
On Dec. 9, the German government announced negotiations with the United States and other allies in regard to supplying Ukraine with Leopard-2 tanks. The White House stated that it had no objections to transferring battle tanks to Ukraine's Armed Forces, the German media reported. The chair of the German parliament’s defense committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, also stated that she had been given the same impression by U.S. officials.
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