In a recent NATO exercise, all 18 of the German Puma infantry fighting vehicles participating broke down. Even the Bundeswehr has yet to take a full inventory of its Leopards (though the choice not to do so may have been politically motivated). Decades of underfunding have left much of Europe’s armor in questionable condition, neither ready for battle nor properly modernized. Twitter has been awash this week with excoriations of Scholz, begging him to “#FreetheLeopards.” But there’s likely more stopping him than a lack of will. While the M1s are better tanks, they won’t arrive for months, whereas Leopards could be put into the battle much more quickly. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz predicated that permission on the United States delivering M1s to Ukraine first. Several European countries have offered to donate German-made Leopard 2s, but they need German permission first. There is all-but-universal agreement ( outside Germany) that Ukraine needs tanks. The news that the Biden administration will announce the transfer of about 30 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine has reignited the debate that surrounded the latest meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the informal association of countries providing military aid to Ukraine.
0 kommentar(er)
