The United States reads Germany a “riot” over its refusal to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine

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US officials read a “riot law” on Germany after Chancellor Olaf Schultz reportedly refused to send Leopard tanks into Ukraine.

Reports of an angry dress came when Poland suggested it and other NATO allies might organize their own “tank alliance” without Berlin in response to the sudden refusal.

Ukraine says it needs Western main battle tanks to drive Russia out of occupied territory. Her calls were supported by many allies, including Britain.

The German government on Friday dashed hopes of a tank deal when it refused to either send its own Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine or grant re-export licenses to allies who also operate the vehicle.

While US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin publicly defended Germany on Friday, insisting that Berlin was a “reliable ally” and “we can all do more,” he privately engaged in a “tense” exchange with Wolfgang Schmidt, Mr. Schultz’s chief of staff, Sud. Deutsche Zeitung reported.

Abrams tanks from the United States

Germany said it would only allow the Panthers to be exported if the United States supplied Ukraine with its Abrams tanks.

Austin reportedly argued in vain that deploying an American tank would be unnecessarily difficult and time consuming when there were hundreds of Leopard IIs already in Europe.

Later, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, read “The Riot” to Schulz’s foreign policy adviser, Jens Plotner, the Post reported.

About 50 countries pledged to provide Kyiv with billions of dollars worth of equipment and ammunition at the meeting in Rammstein.

But Boris Pistorius, Germany’s new defense minister, resisted Allied pressure about the tanks, saying, “We still can’t decide when, what decision, when it comes to the Leopard.”

Der Spiegel reported on Sunday that the German Army has already come up with a list of 19 Leopard 2 tanks that could be dispatched if the order is given.

Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s prime minister, said on Sunday that Chancellor Schulz’s position was “unacceptable” and hinted that Warsaw might find a way to export without German permission.

“Innocents die”

Germany’s position is unacceptable. Almost a year has passed since the war began. Innocent people die every day,” he told PAP on Sunday.

Russian bombs wreak havoc on Ukrainian cities. Civilian targets are attacked, women and children are killed.”

If Berlin refuses to supply tanks to Ukraine, “we will create a” small coalition “of countries that are willing to donate some of their modern equipment, their modern tanks,” said Moraviki.

Poland has announced that it is ready to deliver 14 Leopard tanks to Kyiv, and says it is discussing the matter with about 15 countries.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly repeated calls for the Panthers to be handed over but avoided directly criticizing Berlin.

“Of course, I would like to see the Ukrainians equipped with things like the Leopard 2 in addition to the artillery systems that we and others have provided,” Cleverly said in an interview with Sky News.

“Everyone goes as far as they can.”

“I will continue to have these conversations with our NATO allies and friends, to facilitate the donation of the best military equipment to Ukraine to help them defend themselves against this brutal invasion.”

Asked if Germany was doing enough to help Ukraine, Mr Cleverly said he wanted to see “everyone go as far as possible, but each country will support Ukraine in the way that suits them most.”

Britain announced before the conference that it would send a company of 14 Challenger II tanks, partly in response to Germany’s insistence that it would supply the tanks only if the other Allies did as well.

After the British announcement, the Germans made a more specific request that the United States send tanks.

The foreign ministers of the three Baltic states urged Germany on Saturday to “supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks now.”

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