Ukraine’s president asked western allies to resolve the tank issue as some 50 countries met in Germany to increase arms supplies to Kyiv.
The Ramstein meeting comes as Ukraine seeks heavy armor to help retake territory before Russia, which has mounted a massive mobilization campaign, can refit and regroup.
“Hundreds thank you not hundreds of tanks,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a defense contact group meeting in Ramstein on Friday.
“Every unit helps save our people from terror,” he said in a video speech at a meeting of military leaders allied with Ukraine. “But time remains Russia’s weapon. We must speed it up.
The request comes as Germany and other backers halted their supply of main battle tanks, which the US and others have identified as a key part of Ukraine’s efforts to launch forward combat maneuvers and retake territory.
The UK has committed to deliver the Challenger 2 main battle tank while other countries, including Poland, have expressed interest in the following.
Germany’s stance is critical because Berlin must not only decide whether to send Leopard tanks, but also approve the transfer of others from 12 other countries across Europe that have the tanks.
Berlin has made it clear it will not commit to sending Leopard 2s unless the US follows up with the Abrams main battle tank, which American officials say is not ready. American officials believed that the Leopard 2 tank, which was lighter and easier to maintain, was better suited to the war, while Germany was wary of operating without the US.
On Friday, the Polish government increased pressure on Germany to allow the export of tanks with a warning from the deputy foreign minister that Warsaw was ready to use “non-standard” methods to supply Ukraine and surround Berlin. He did not specify exactly what alternative path he could use.
If Germany does not allow the re-export of Polish Leopard tanks, “we will be ready to take such actions, as well as non-standard ones. Even if someone is offended,” deputy minister Paweł Jabłoński told Polish radio station RMF24. Earlier this month, Poland promised to supply about a dozen Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy on Friday called on military and defense officials present at Ramstein not to bid on the number of tanks to be delivered, but to deliver them as soon as possible. He urged them to consider other advanced systems, such as long-range missiles and fighter jets.
US defense secretary Lloyd Austin repeated Washington’s pledge to support Ukraine for a long time, and pointed to $2.5bn in new US aid to include Stryker combat vehicles, air defenses and other munitions, among other key needs.
“It was a pivotal moment,” Austin said. “Russia is regrouping, recruiting and trying to re-equip. This is not the time to slow down; this is the time to dig deeper.
He added the US “will not give up” or “waver in our determination to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian imperial aggression”.
It was unclear Friday whether the U.S. and other powers could convince Germany to change course.
Alexander Müller, a member of the liberal Free Democratic Party in the German parliament and a member of the Bundestag’s defense committee, suggested that the social democrats change their minds and finally send tanks to Ukraine.
“He changed his mind slowly,” Müller told BBC Radio 4 Today program there.
Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party has “many” pacifists, but “they saw the picture of the war and many have changed their minds”, Muller said.
“Scholz has been hiding behind our partners,” he said. But he “can’t be the one to block the posts”.
Additional reporting by Raphael Minder in Warsaw