Mirroring the regime’s antisemitic policies, t he German General Automobile Club ADAC ( Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e.V., or ADAC) expelled Jewish members in 1933. The introduction of such weapons, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov would bring the war to “a whole new level, which, of course, will not bode well from the point of view of global and pan-European security.”Īnatoly Antonov, Moscow’s ambassador to the US, said Russia would retaliate if Ukraine were to use Western-supplied weapons to target Russia or the Crimea Peninsula.įormer Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior security official, warned the West’s continued support for Ukraine could lead to nuclear war.Like many other industries, automobile manufacturing in Germany was strongly influenced by the Nazi regime. Russia has warned of an “extremely dangerous” escalation if NATO were to deploy high-tech weapons. Some analysts have said supplying the Leopards could further escalate the conflict with Russia, if it were construed as the direct involvement of NATO countries in the war. Germany as the leading European power has special responsibility in this regard. This is needed to stop Russian aggression, help Ukraine and restore peace in Europe quickly. We, 🇱🇻 🇪🇪 🇱🇹 Foreign Ministers, call on Germany to provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine now. German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, which produces the Leopard’s cannon and electronics and has dozens of older models, has said it would not be able to deliver any of the tanks until 2024 because of the need to refurbish and repair them. It is not clear yet how quickly any tanks would arrive. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has suggested Poland could send Leopard tanks to Ukraine without Germany’s blessing. Finland said it is not opposed to shipments.īut countries cannot send the tanks without Germany’s approval as they are supplied under a German licence. Poland has expressed willingness to send 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of an international coalition. However, pressure has been mounting on Germany and it has been put in a difficult position. Germany has been reluctant to provide the tanks to Ukraine because of the anti-militarism position it adopted after World War II.
The last four models produced are still in use – from the 2A4 to the 2A7. They also provide “all-round protection” for troops from threats such as mines, anti-tank fire, and improvised explosive devices, according to the manufacturer. The tanks are armed with a 120mm smoothbore cannon and can move at speeds of up to 70 kilometres (44 miles) per hour with a range of 500km (310 miles). Leopard 2 is “sort of like the Golf of the German tank industry: an all-rounder with world recognition”, according to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.Ībout 3,500 of the 60-tonne battle tanks, developed by German weapons manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), have been produced. Leopard was first produced in the late 1970s to replace the American M48 Patton and soon became renowned for its firepower, mobility, and sturdy armour. (Al Jazeera) Why are the Leopards so coveted? Leopard 2 tanks are considered one of the best-performing models worldwide and are widely used across Europe. The United States and its allies failed to agree to supply the coveted German battle tanks to Ukraine at a meeting on Friday, as Russia continued to issue threats the conflict may escalate in Europe. But Kyiv has pleaded for more advanced military equipment to get the upper hand in the fight against Russia. Germany is under intense pressure to provide Ukraine with its Leopard 2 tanks, which could have a significant impact against the Russian invasion.Įuropean allies have already sent hundreds of modernised Soviet tanks to Ukraine since the war started nearly 11 months ago.
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