Saturday. 09.11.2024
WAR IN UKRAINE

Scholz: No request from Spain to export Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine

A delivery of Leopard 2 tanks would be the first time that Ukraine would receive modern Western tanks in the fight against the Russian army

07 June 2022, Lithuania, Pabrade: Soldiers stand in front of a German Army Leopard-2 tank used by the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group (eFP battalion) during a visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Camp Adrian Rohn. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa.
Soldiers stand in front of a German Army Leopard-2 tank used by the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa.

According to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spain has not yet submitted a request for the export of German-made Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine.

Should there still be such a request, it would be examined, Scholz said on Tuesday during his visit to Lithuania.

According to a report in the Spanish newspaper El País, Spain wants to supply Ukraine with German-made Leopard 2 A4 battle tanks.

As a rule, the German government has to approve such arms exports because the purchase contracts contain so-called end-use clauses that provide for this in the event of a transfer.

A delivery of Leopard 2 tanks would be the first time that Ukraine would receive modern Western tanks in the fight against the Russian army.

Second-hand bought tanks

In Germany, politicians from Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) - the senior party in the governing coalition - have so far stressed that there is an informal agreement among NATO states not to supply such weapons.

According to the newspaper report, about 40 of 108 Leopard tanks that Spain bought second-hand in Germany in 1995 could be made operational again.

Scholz: No request from Spain to export Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine