On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron promised his Ukrainian counterpart with the promise of a modern AMX-10 RC wheeled tank to drive the Russian invaders from the ground.
Macron, Europe’s de facto leader, is breaking ranks with his western allies and thus increasing pressure on his closest strategic partner, Germany.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been busy canceling repeated calls to send German-built Leopard 2 battle tanks to Kyiv to help end the war more quickly.
“This is the first time that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been supplied with Western-made tanks.” France’s Elysee Palace said on Wednesday.
What is the AMX-10 RC?
Built by Giat France and in service since 1981, the AMX-10 RC is equipped with a 105 mm main gun turret. Since it sits on wheels instead of a traditional track like a heavy tank, its mobility makes it more suitable for reconnaissance missions, but it can provide effective fire support on the battlefield.
according to ReutersFrench officials did not give details on the volume or timing of planned deliveries, but added that negotiations will continue on the potential delivery of other types of vehicles.
Ukraine, which usually celebrates Christmas on January 7Th along with the rest of the Eastern Orthodox Church, have been clamoring for months to get their hands on the West’s latest battle tanks to counter the armored superiority of the Russian T-72 column.
With the war fast approaching the one year anniversary on February 24thTh and there is no end to the site, the French gift of the AMX-10 RC battle tank reopens the debate in Europe about the Leopard.
If this leads to Berlin following through on its own, or even just a green light for others to do so, it could be the most significant development in the war since Ukraine recaptured in November the city of Kherson, the only regional capital to fall into Russian hands.
Kudos to Macron
“Strong leadership by Emmanuel Macron,” praised Guy Verhofstadt, Belgium’s veteran former prime minister who now serves in the European Parliament, on Wednesday. “Now there is no place for the German government to hide.”
Russia’s Soviet-designed T-72 was no match for the more modern third-generation tanks built by Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The export law gives Berlin a veto but whenever a western ally such as Lithuania wants to donate one from its own arsenal.
“The best type of weapon we can provide today is a Western top battle tank, such as the German Leopard or the American Abrams,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said last month.
Last year, the CEO of the manufacturer Rheinmetall even offered to repair from his own reserve 80 Leopards, praised by the Swiss leadership every day. The New Zurich Times on Thursday as “the tank that can speed up the war.”
Germany’s dithering chancellor has taken a dig at himself, claiming no other western ally is willing to send modern western battle tanks.
But suffering from poor polls and the image of an indecisive leader afraid of his own reflection, Scholz now has to bail out the minister of defense Christine Lambrecht because of the shame of the wrong New Year.
Between the political capital he now has to spend to fend off his demands to step down and the unfortunate position Macron has put himself in through his uncoordinated and unmanageable military expansion, Scholz may have to strike out on his own.
In that case, the German chancellor could have his own tank Christmas present for Ukrainian troops.
Farther things are known to be happening and it wouldn’t be the first time he’s come under pressure: in April he flip-flopped and approved the delivery of 50 Gepard armored anti-aircraft vehicles.
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