NATO chief hints sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine during Germany visit

Europe, News December 2, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Germany to attend the Berlin Security Conference and meet with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on December 1, 2022.

During his keynote speech at the conference, Stoltenberg pledged to continue supporting Ukraine against Russia but also pointed out that “NATO is not a party to the conflict.”

Stoltenberg said that the alliance remains cautious to avoid a wider war with Russia. “NATO is not [a] party to the conflict. We will not be dragged into Putin’s war.” During the joint news conference after meeting with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Stoltenberg accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately bombing Ukraine’s civilian and energy infrastructure to freeze and starve the Ukrainians into submission as the winter arrives. “Putin is using winter as a weapon. And we cannot allow him to win. At this critical moment, our continued support for Ukraine is more important than ever,” he added.

Stoltenberg also highlighted the importance of German support for Ukraine through its financial and military aid. “Germany is among the allies providing most military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Military equipment provided by Germany protects Ukrainian homes, schools, and hospitals from Russian missile attacks,” he said.

Stoltenberg hinted that the Alliance is working on boosting Ukraine’s fighting power by sending modern tanks to the frontlines. Stoltenberg’s statement comes at a time when analysts are expecting Germany to announce sending its modern Leopard tanks to Ukraine. The German-made Leopard 2 tank has seen substantial success in Syria with Turkey’s forces. These tanks could prove highly effective in punching through Russian lines.

Upon being asked if NATO is planning to send the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Stoltenberg neither confirmed nor denied the information. “We have delivered a lot of advanced weapon systems and we see that this is making a huge difference on the battlefield every day,” he replied.

Military experts believe that if Ukraine was equipped with the most recent Leopard tanks, such as the 2A6 version, this would prove to be a major boost to their battlefield capability against Russian attacks.

During the joint news conference with Stoltenberg, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also reiterated that Germany will continue its efforts to support Ukraine and increase its contributions to the NATO alliance. “The fact that Putin’s Russia is trying to change borders in Europe through military force, once again reminds us how important the transatlantic alliance is,” he said.

*^{NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. (Image Credit: Twitter/@jensstoltenberg)}*

Last month, Germany offered its Patriot missile system to be deployed at the Polish-Ukrainian border to reinforce its missile defense capabilities against the missiles of neighboring warring states of Russia and Ukraine.

Upon being asked if Germany still plans to deliver the Patriot missiles to Poland, Scholz confirmed that “Our offer to Poland continues as stated. We’re willing and ready to provide safety and security to Poland, and deploy a Patriot system there. The discussions are ongoing.”

Warsaw also called on Berlin to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine to protect both Polish and Ukrainian airspace, however, Germany declined the suggestion fearing escalation. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that if Patriot systems and NATO personnel would be deployed in Ukraine, they will be “legitimate targets” for Russian troops.