Russia-Ukraine war latest updates: NATO allies push Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks
Germany is under increasing pressure from Ukraine and some NATO allies, including Poland, to either send Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv or sign off on transfers by other European countries of the German-made weapons.
Germany’s new defense minister, Boris Pistorius, said in a weekend television interview that the decision was not one to be made in haste. He added that it was a question of weighing Germany’s own security and fears that it could be seen as a “participant” in the war against supporting Ukraine “with all our might.” Pistorius and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are set to hold a news conference at 9:15 a.m. local time Tuesday after a meeting in Berlin.
Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
4. From our correspondents
Other countries have offered different tanks: Britain promised 14 Challenger 2 models this month. But the Leopard 2’s speed and ease of use — as well as the fact that there are a large number of them already in Europe — have made them more attractive to Kyiv. Even older versions of the tank have modern optics, including thermal imaging, that allow them to operate day and night.