In the morning, Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the tank deliveries to Ukraine. Now he explains himself in a half-hour television interview.
Is the chancellor now speaking plainly? When it became known on Tuesday evening from coalition circles that Germany, after long hesitation, wanted to deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the Chancellery remained silent. The official confirmation came on Wednesday morning by e-mail – from the government spokesman.
The tanks would be “very helpful and effective,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz himself on ZDF. In a half-hour interview, he answered questions from journalists Bettina Schausten and Anne Gellinek. Scholz emphatically denied whether the delivery of battle tanks would make Germany a party to the war.
Scholz: Without the USA it would be “irresponsible”
Scholz had already emphasized how important support for Ukraine was during the government survey in the afternoon, but also defended the hesitant approach. They wanted to coordinate with the international partners. The Chancellor repeated this message several times in the interview. Coordination with the USA was particularly important. Acting without the US is “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.
Shortly before, it had become known that the USA also wanted to deliver tanks. US President Joe Biden announced the delivery of 31 M1 Abrams.
Ukraine has been demanding deliveries for a long time
For its part, Germany wants to support Ukraine in the war against the Russian attackers with 14 Leopard tanks from the stocks of the Bundeswehr. 74 Leopards from other European countries are to be added to equip two battalions.
It is nothing less than a European main battle tank alliance for Ukraine. Ukraine has been demanding it for a long time, and Poland recently pushed it forward with massive public pressure. Now the chancellor is at the head of the tank movement. His word is decisive because the Leopard tanks are produced in Germany and the federal government has to approve any export to Ukraine.
An important step. As early as September, the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) presented a plan for how Ukraine could quickly set up an initial brigade with around 90 Leopard 2s – enough to have a noticeable effect on the battlefield.
However, Scholz also drew red lines for further military support for Ukraine: He ruled out the delivery of combat aircraft or the deployment of ground troops.
