U.S. will supply M1 tanks to #Ukraine, as Germany approves #Leopards

After months of German blocking of any initiative to dispatch tanks to #Kyiv, #Baerbock had said Germany wouldn’t stop other countries sending their own #German-build #Leopards if they wanted to.

What makes them particularly attractive to Kyiv is that nearly two-thirds of all Leopards produced are still in Europe. So physically getting #Leopards to the fight is relatively #straightforward.

Ukraine sees tanks as another vital part of its defence against Russian forces and #Leopards have seen combat action in #Afghanistan and Syria

Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, denied that Berlin has demanded that the US supply #Abrams tanks alongside any shipment of #Leopards.

put it mildly,” and suggested his country might send #Leopards to #Ukraine without Berlin’s approval.

they won’t approve the transfer of #Leopards unless the #US also agrees to send some of its tanks to Kyiv.

That Warsaw might be prepared to provide Ukraine with #Leopards regardless of Berlin's #views.

More than 2,000 #Leopards are sitting in warehouses all over #Europe.