[ad_1]
Defense Minister Anita Anand returned home from a meeting in Germany on Friday after she and her colleagues from the United States and across Europe failed to reach an agreement on supplying battle tanks to Ukraine.
The question is at the top of the agenda for US-led talks at the Ramstein air base, where defense ministers from 50 countries are gathering to discuss and coordinate plans to provide new military aid to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has repeatedly said it needs tanks to protect its troops and launch counterattacks against Russian forces, particularly in the east of the country.
The Trudeau government has not said whether Canada is open to sending some German-made Leopard 2 tanks, which it bought from Germany in 2007 during the war in Afghanistan.
But before Canada can entertain the idea, it needs Berlin’s signature to allow it to re-export tanks to Ukraine, which is not a member of the NATO military alliance.
Germany expressed mixed views of its allies
Despite requests from Ukrainian officials, Germany has so far resisted pressure to quickly supply Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to send them from their own stocks.
Poland’s defense minister, who has promised the company 14 Leopard tanks on the condition that other countries also supply them, told reporters in Ramstein that the 15 countries that have the vehicles are talking about the issue but no decision has been made.
Mariusz Blaszczak called the meeting a “good discussion between allies” and said the matter would be discussed again in the future.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said opinions among the allies were mixed and added that “the impression that sometimes appears, that there is a united coalition and Germany stands in the way, is wrong.”
Speaking to reporters outside the conference room at noon, he added that while there was no resolution yet, “we will make a decision as soon as possible.”
Anand told reporters before the meeting that he had spoken to Pistorius, who only took office on Thursday. He did not say whether the two discussed the provision of tanks, adding that tanks are not the only thing Ukraine needs.
“That’s why Canada provides armored vehicles,” he said. “That’s why Canada provides winter clothing and the M777 [howitzers] and the Gustaf anti-tank weapon system. Because these are all capabilities specifically requested by Ukraine.
Four M777 howitzers and 100 Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles were donated to Ukraine from the Canadian Army’s stock and have not been replaced.
Although it is unclear how the donation will affect the army’s training and readiness, defense analyst David Perry noted that Canada is sending more than 10 percent of the military’s stock of M777s.
The Department of National Defense said the Canadian Army has 112 Leopard 2 tanks in several different configurations, including 82 designed for combat and 30 used for engineering and recovery of disabled vehicles.
Retired lieutenant general and former Army commander Marquis Hainse said the number is “limited,” adding that it would be difficult to show Canadian tanks without affecting the army’s operations and capabilities.
“We have to be careful not to deplete our own stock and not be able to maintain our expertise because of the lack of operational Leopard 2 in our own Canadian arsenal,” he said.
The Kremlin warned of vague ‘negative’ consequences
Retired Lt. Gen. Mike Day said the reality is Canada has the “minimum” needed to meet the operational and training needs of the army – and any donation would be “insignificant and tokenism.”
He suggested the debate over providing tanks threatens to distract from the larger question of Ukraine’s overall needs, and how Canada and the international community are working with it.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended the German leader on Friday.
“He is a reliable ally and has been for a long time,” he said. “And I am confident that they will continue to be a reliable ally.”
Austin also downplayed the importance of tanks, saying that the first delivered Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley armored vehicles will give Ukraine new capabilities in the war. “It’s not about one platform,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Kremlin spokesman said the deployment of Western tanks would have “negative” consequences.
“All these tanks need maintenance and repair, etc., so (the delivery) will increase Ukraine’s problems, but it will not change anything about the Russian side achieving its goals,” Dmitry Peskov said during a press conference on Friday. .
[ad_2]
Source link