Leopard tanks to be sent to Kiev in March: Polish Defense Minister
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Poland will be sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine this spring.
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Ukrainian and Polish soldiers sit on top of a Leopard 2 tank during a training at a military base and test range in Swietoszow, Poland, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
Leopard 2 tanks will be sent to Ukraine in March, Poland's Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Tuesday.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced during a visit to the Polish capital on Wednesday that by April, Ukraine's Westerner allies will deliver the first battalion of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.
Almost a year after the war in Ukraine, Poland, and Germany were united in their commitment to assist Ukraine in fighting Russia, Pistorius said, adding that the two nations had agreed to meet other parties willing to supply Leopard 2 tanks next week.
Germany announced last month that it will deliver contemporary Leopard 2 battle tanks from army inventories in response to Ukraine's persistent requests and increasing pressure from some Western partners.
Read: Ukraine may lose to Russia without arms from West: Poland's Duda
Additionally, Germany will pool funds from Denmark and the Netherlands to repair at least 100 outdated Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine.
On January 25, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issued the announcement that Berlin would supply Kiev with 14 Leopard 2 battle tanks as part of a European coalition.
On February 3, Berlin voted to approve private arms maker Rheinmetall’s plan to deliver 88 Leopard 1s to Ukraine after maintenance work is completed.
Last week, on February 5, German cabinet spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said that the government had approved exports of around 160 Leopard I tanks to Ukraine.
The German government approved on February 7 supplying Ukraine with 187 Leopard 1 tanks. The majority of the tanks are scheduled to arrive in Ukraine by 2024 however, some of them will arrive this summer.
Read: Polish PM urges Germany to supply Ukraine with tanks
Over the past months, Kiev has been pressuring the West to supply it with hundreds of tanks, saying it needs to be prepared in the advent of a potential Russian counter-offensive due this Spring.
The Spanish government announced Wednesday that it had plans to send up to 6 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine, while discussing plans with the country's military industry.
Read: More European countries to join Germany in sending tanks to Ukraine
