As El Mundo informed, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on July 2, that Spain cannot send its mothballed Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine as they are "in an absolutely deplorable state" and could be a danger to the people firing them.
In June, Robles said the possibility "was on the table" after El Pais newspaper reported that Spain was considering sending around 40 German-made Leopards kept at a military base in Zaragoza to Ukraine.
Read more: Spain Is Ready to Supply Ukraine With Leopard 2 A4 Tanks
"We are today looking at all the possibilities, but I can already say that the Leopards in Zaragoza that have not been used for many years cannot be sent because they are in an absolutely deplorable state," Robles told reporters on Tuesday during at an air base in Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid.
As Defense Express informed on June 6, the Spanish government was ready to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 A4 battle tanks, which have been in reserve at the base of the Spanish army for 10 years. Germany sold them to Spain back in 1995 as a part of a batch of 108 combat vehicles before a contract for the production of Leopard in Spain.
Approximately 40 units of these combat vehicles should be repaired first and transferred to Ukraine. In addition, Spain offered Ukraine to train the military personnel to operate these battle tanks. According to preliminary data Ukrainian servicemen are to be trained first in Lithuania and then in Spain.
Read more: Spain to Send Cargo Ship With Lend-Lease for Ukraine. What’s inside, Defense Express Finds Out
