France and Poland have been pushing Germany to send its Leopard tanks to Ukraine, but Germany wants the US to send tanks as well before approving their transfer. US Secretary of State is due in Berlin on Thursday ahead of a large meeting of defense ministers in Germany on Friday to discuss sending heavy weaponry to Ukraine.
Defence experts see German Leopard tanks as the most suitable for Ukraine's fight against Russia, but Germany has said that tanks should be supplied only if there is an agreement among Ukraine’s allies.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reportedly insisted that US tanks should also be sent to Ukraine.
US officials have said that President Joe Biden's administration is next expected to approve sending Stryker armored vehicles Ukraine, but it is not ready to send its own tanks, including the M1 Abrams.
Colin Kahl, the Pentagon's top policy adviser said “I just don't think we're there yet," about sending the Abrams, which he said is “a very complicated piece of equipment. It's expensive. It's hard to train on. It has a jet engine”.
In a speech by video link to the Davos forum on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Western allies to supply his country before Russia mounts its next missile and armoured ground attacks.
Ukraine has relied primarily on older, Soviet-era tanks that had remained in storage in Eastern European countries.
Pressure on Germany increased after Britain pledged this week to send 14 of its Challenger tanks along with additional artillery support.
Nato allies have tried to avoid appearing to confront Russia directly, and have refrained from sending their most potent weapons to Ukraine.
Ahead of a Nato and defense minister meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday - the latest in a string of such meetings since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago - Washington will be pushing Germany to at least allow for the transfer of Leopard tanks from other countries.
Spain, Poland, Greece, Denmark and Finland already use the tank. Poland and Finland said they are ready to send their tanks if Germany approves.
On Thursday British, Polish, and Baltic defence ministers at the Tapa military base in Estonia to discuss providing heavy weaponry to Ukraine.
(with wires)
