Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/KYIV: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that his government was expecting “more strong decisions” from defence leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other states meeting on Friday to discuss boosting Ukraine’s ability to confront Russian armed forces with modern German battle tanks.
The meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany is the latest in the series since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly eleven months ago, and where future weapons supplies could be discussed, particularly Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks used by armies across the Europe.
Modern German tanks
Berlin has veto power over the decision to export the tanks, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has appeared reluctant to authorize that for fear of provoking Russia.
Some allies say Germany’s concern is misplaced, with Russia already fully committed to war. Moscow has repeatedly said that Western arms transfers could prolong the conflict and raise suffering in Ukraine.
Russia and Ukraine have both relied primarily on ex-Soviet-era T-72 tanks, which have been destroyed in thousands during the war that Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, started last February 24, calling it a “special army operation” to protect Russia and Russian speakers.
Ukraine and its partners accuse Moscow of an unprovoked war to grab territory and erase the independence of an ex-Soviet republic and neighbour. Western nations have provided a steady supply of weapons to Ukraine.
