Polish Radio
January 24, 2023

Poland requests German permission to send tanks to Ukraine: deputy PM

A Polish deputy prime minister has said that Germany has received an official request from Poland to re-export Leopard 2 tanks to war-torn Ukraine.

Mariusz Błaszczak made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday….

The deputy prime minister, who is also Poland’s defence minister, wrote: “The Germans have already received our request for permission to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.”

Błaszczak added: “I also appeal to the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks. This is our common cause, because the security of the whole of Europe is at stake.”

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On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin would not stand in Poland’s way if Warsaw asked for permission to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

On Monday, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Germany was not blocking the export of the tanks….

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday that there was no disunity among NATO allies about providing heavy battle tanks to Ukraine, adding that the German government would “act quickly” if there was a positive decision to do so….

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Poland, Finland and other countries have offered to provide German-made Leopard tanks….