The Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz did not undertake any commitments regarding the supply of modern Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine following a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Die Welt reports.
Thus, according to the article, Shmyhal's conversation with Scholz regarding tanks was "general and vague" and the German chancellor "had absolutely no desire to change his negative position regarding the supply of tanks."
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Die Welt notes that Shmyhal went to Berlin with a specific request and even suggested how exactly Germany can supply these tanks to Ukraine: by means of industry.
Back in October, the German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) offered to supply Ukraine with 100 Leopard 2A7 tanks, including spare parts and other equipment worth 1.55 billion euros: the first units were to be ready 36 months after the contract would have been signed. The last tank would have been delivered within 65 months.
The article also mentions an offer from another German company, Rheinmetall, regarding 100 Marder IFVs and 88 Leopard 1 MBTs supply along with ammunition worth 268 million euros. The company submitted export applications, but Scholz did not respond to them, instead inventing a "ring supply" equipment, when other countries supply Ukraine with Soviet models, and Germany gives them modern German equipment.
At the same time, Ukraine currently does not understand why the export application for the supply of 100 Marder IFVs is ignored. "We wonder why the export has not been approved. We always ask the Federal Government to eventually do it," commented the interlocutor of the publication.
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