Ukraine’s foreign minister on Tuesday slammed Berlin for its failure so far to deliver Leopard battle tanks despite repeated pleas from Kyiv.
“Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses,” said Dmytro Kuleba.
“What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?” he said in a post on Twitter.
Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now — to liberate people and save them from genocide. Not a single rational argument on why these weapons can not be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses. What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) September 13, 2022
After initial reluctance to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons to beat back the Russian invasion, Germany has since upped its support for Kyiv’s troops.
Piles of ammunition and rocket launchers have been delivered to Ukraine, as well as dozens of anti-aircraft tanks and howitzers.
Kyiv is however pushing for more weapons deliveries to consolidate recent battlefield gains, including Leopard battle tanks.
But Berlin has so far declined to send the battle tanks, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday saying Germany would not “go it alone” on weapons deliveries without coordinating with allies.
His Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht on Monday also stressed that no country had sent Western-made battle tanks to Ukraine.
“We agreed that there will be no go-it-alone in Germany,” she said, reiterating Scholz’s remarks at a separate event.
Scholz meanwhile argued that Germany has already “delivered very efficient weapons that are making the difference on the battlefield at the moment.”
Germany would “support Ukraine as long as is necessary,” he added.
Ukraine launched a lightning counter-offensive in early September that has resulted in it reclaiming control of vast tracts of land in the northeast and south of the country.
