Leopard tanks for Ukraine: Warsaw explains Berlin’s reluctance

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Pawel Jablonski said this on RMF.FM radio, Ukrinform reports.

"I think that if there is firm resistance (from Germany - ed.), then we will also be ready for non-standard actions, even if someone takes offense at it," Jablonski emphasized.

At the same time, he warned against getting ahead of the facts.

According to the deputy minister, there is a serious risk that Russia will go on the offensive again in other regions of Ukraine. He noted that the Russian Federation has "very aggressive intentions", and if the West allows it to have an advantage over Ukraine, it will undoubtedly try to attack again.

The Polish diplomat noted that the sooner Western nations transfer tanks to Ukraine, the safer Poland will be. Therefore, their handover is also in the interests of Poland, because Poland "is very high on the list of Russian targets."

Answering the question of where such resistance on the part of Germany stems from, Jablonski noted that this is a consequence of Russia's long-term influence on their political and business circles. Therefore, this sympathy "was built on Russian money."

"These are sympathies in which Russia has invested a lot of money. Today, of course, these people will not openly say that they support Russia, there are many who are ashamed of this. But in reality, they act in such a way as not to cause great harm to Russia," the Polish diplomat stated.

Jablonski emphasized that the main problem in the transfer of tanks within the broad coalition is now Germany. Other countries are ready to provide their tanks to Ukraine.

As reported by Ukrinform, the head of the Polish government, Mateusz Morawiecki, in a comment to the Polish media, stated that Poland intends to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, regardless of what Berlin's decision will be as a country producing these tanks.

Earlier, Poland announced the transfer of a company of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Another meeting of the defense ministers of Western nations providing military assistance to Ukraine is taking place in Ramstein on Friday. Various sources claim that Germany, which remains skeptical about providing military aid to Ukraine, may decide to allow the supply of tanks of its production to other countries and participate in such aid itself.

Photo: Philipp Schulze/dpa