Kyiv asks Berlin to triple the number of Leopard tanks supplied to Ukraine
Kyiv asks Germany for even more tanks. "First of all, the Ukrainian army needs a much larger number of Western tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other armored vehicles," said Andriy Melnyk, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister and former ambassador to Germany, in an interview with Der Tagesspiegel.
He explained that due to the loss of some transferred weapons in battles, "each Leopard 2 is literally worth its weight in gold for the decisive offensive" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to Melnyk, Germany can send more tanks than the 18 tanks already delivered from the Bundeswehr's stockpiles, which has more than 300 tanks. Melnyk believes that the current number can be "tripled without jeopardizing Germany's defense capability."
Andriy Melnyk also asked Germany to send another 60 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, as well as Taurus cruise missiles, to the Ukrainian armed forces and help Kyiv create a powerful air force. Ukraine is waiting for "Germany's strategic decision to actively participate in the coalition for the supply of fighter jets, provide immediately the opportunity to train Ukrainian pilots on Eurofighter aircraft and provide some of the needed 130 aircraft," Melnyk added.
The opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) supported the call of the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister to increase the military assistance. Ukraine's partners should "immediately replace all destroyed equipment, including all Leopard tanks and armored personnel carriers, as well as supply additional components," CDU security expert Roderich Kiesewetter told Der Tagesspiegel.
In turn, the representative of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) on defense issues, Marcus Faber, expressed confidence that clear commitment to replace weapons lost in battles would support the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the counteroffensive. He also proposed to provide Kyiv with more Leopard tanks.