Berlin not blocking tank deliveries to Ukraine, says EU’s top diplomat

Berlin is not stopping other European Union member states from sending German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to the bloc’s foreign affairs chief.

Josep Borrell was speaking following a meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Brussels on Monday, where he pledged the EU’s continued support for Kyiv.

“Ukraine has to win this war and we will support it in the best possible way,” he told reporters.

“Germany is not blocking other countries that wish to do so: sending tanks. So, Germany is not blocking the export of Leopard tanks,” he added.

Given Leopard 2 tanks are made in Germany, Berlin is supposed to greenlight any transfer to Ukraine from other countries, like Poland, Finland or Spain.

Zbigniew Rau, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Warsaw will send tanks, as promised.

“Yes, certainly, we are going to send these tanks. We will be in touch with the German government about it. But regardless of the decision of other countries, we are more than determined, as we promised to the Ukrainian side to send the tanks there,” he said.

However, Germany is still stalling on sending tanks from its own reserves. Despite acknowledging how important these weapons are, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock dodged the question by reporters in Brussels.

A political consensus was also reached by all member states on a seventh tranche of money from the so-called European Peace Facility, including a €500m military aid package and an additional training mission for Ukrainian forces worth up to €45 million euros.

This brings the total amount of military support provided by the EU to €3.6bn.