There are about 2,000 Leopard 2s currently spread across Europe at different levels of readiness, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a British think-tank. The Leopards, fielded by some 20 armies around the world, are seen as the best option for Ukraine because they are readily available in large numbers and less complex mechanically than other alternatives, such as the M1 Abrams, allowing for quicker training for Ukrainian forces.
The government said its goal was for Germany and its allies to provide Ukraine with a total of two battalions, or 88 tanks overall. Scholz said Germany would initially send 14 units and also grant permission for other countries to re-export their stocks of the tanks – removing a major hurdle to additional military support from across Europe. Moscow said Western-supplied tanks will “burn” and dismissed suggestions they will impact the outcome of the nearly yearlong conflict.Īfter days of mounting pressure from Ukrainian and Western officials, the German government on Wednesday overcame its apparent reluctance and announced it would supply Ukraine with the highly sought-after Leopard 2 battle tanks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested 300 tanks to help push back Russia’s invasion forces. It comes after the United Kingdom promised to deliver 14 of its own Challenger 2 tanks last week. The moves, announced by President Joe Biden and Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday, will see Washington deploy 31 Abrams tanks while Berlin will supply Kyiv with 14 German-made Leopard 2 units at first. The United States and Germany have pledged to send state-of-the-art battle tanks to Ukraine, paving the way for several of its European allies to follow suit.
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