Germany to send heavy Leopard tanks to Ukraine

Ukrainian activists rally outside the German embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Germany will supply its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, it announced on Wednesday, overcoming misgivings about sending heavy weaponry that Kyiv sees as crucial to defeat the Russian invasion but Moscow cast as a needless provocation.

Pressure has been building for weeks on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government to send the tanks and allow other NATO allies to do the same ahead of expected spring offensives by both sides that could help turn the tide of the war. Scholz's government had stalled on the decision, wary of moves that could prompt Russia to escalate or suck the NATO alliance into becoming party to the conflict.

Germany's decision paves the way for other countries such asPoland, Spain and Norway to supply their stocks of Leopard tanks to Ukraine. "This decision follows our well-known line of supporting Ukraine to the best of our ability," Scholz said in a statement.

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