Russia and Ukraine: Germany confirms that it will not prevent Poland from supplying Kyiv with Leopard 2 tanks

German Foreign Minister Annalina Bierbock said that her country "will not stand in the way" of Poland if it wants to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.

Ukraine is appealing to its Western allies to supply it with German-made tanks, which Kyiv says will help it defeat the Russians.

But Germany has not yet supplied Ukraine with these tanks, and its export laws prevent other countries with these tanks from sending them to Ukraine.

On Sunday, the German Foreign Minister said that Poland has not yet applied for a German permit to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.

"Until this moment, Poland has not made such a request, and if it happens and is asked of us, we will not prevent it," Berbuk added to the French channel LCI.

what is the reason for the German reluctance to supply Kyiv with Leopard tanks?

 Last week, Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that his country is ready to supply Kyiv with 14 Leopard 2 tanks provided that Berlin allows it.

The Leopard 2 was designed specifically to counter the Russian T90 tank used in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It is believed that there are more than two thousand leopard2 tanks around the world. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that about 300 Leopard 2 tanks would be enough to ensure the defeat of Russia.

Why is the demand for Leopard tanks increasing?

Analysis by Chris Partridge-BBC weapons expert:

The Leopard 2 tank is a universal weapon, used by more than a dozen countries.

Ukraine sees in these tanks another vital element of its defense strategy against Russian troops.

The Leopard tank has been combat-tested in both Afghanistan and Syria.

What makes this model of Tanks attractive for Kyiv is that about two-thirds of the number of such tanks around the world are located in Europe, and this, in turn, makes their arrival in Ukraine easier and faster, and the same with regard to their maintenance.

Here it is worth noting that Germany supplies Ukraine with vital air defense systems such as the IRIS-T missile system, as well as Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, as well as armored personnel carriers.

Many Western allies have been frustrated by Germany's reluctance to supply Ukraine with the Leopard 2 tank.

Under existing laws, Germany has the right to impose sanctions on any re-export of its tanks through other countries, such as Poland.

On Friday, more than 50 Western allies gathered, and Germany did not pledge to supply Ukraine with tanks, nor did it authorize the re-export of those tanks through other countries that possess them. Berlin, on the other hand, refused to be accused of preventing the arrival of tanks in Ukraine.

In a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania asked Germany to "immediately provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is wary of Germany's slide into military conflicts, fearing a move that could lead to a Russian escalation.

On Sunday, the German chancellor met with French President Emmanuel Macron to reaffirm the alliance that the two countries launched after World War II.

France has already pledged to send light tanks to Ukraine, and Macron suggested the possibility of supplying Ukraine with French-made Leclerc heavy tanks.

Other countries have also pledged to supply Ukraine with tanks, including the United Kingdom, which has pledged to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.