On Friday, defense ministers from 54 countries gathered at the American airbase Ramstein in Germany. The hope was that Germany would give the green light to the export of the weapon Ukrainians want most, the Leopard 2 tank. Several European countries that want to send Leopard tanks are dependent on permission from Germany to be able to send the tanks to the battlefield. Among the countries waiting for the German go-ahead are Finland and Poland. The apple of contention; Leopard tank. The picture is from a NATO exercise in Nowogard in Poland last May. Photo: WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP After Germany flagged that the country will not allow it, the reactions have not been long in coming. The criticism comes from other countries and from the opposition in Germany. – Ukrainians are bleeding – European credibility is dying The German opposition politician Roderick Kiesewetter reacts with anger, writes Deutsche Welle. – Ukraine is about to run out of soldiers and weapons. Every day counts, they bleed, says Roderich Kiesewetter to the German broadcaster. CDU politician Johann Wadephul condemns the German decision. Photo: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP He represents the Christian Democrats in the CDU and is a former general in the German Bundeswehr. – I think that European credibility is dying out, he adds after the German no to export of the Leopard tanks. Another leading politician in the CDU, Johann Wadephul, condemns Germany’s refusal to send the tanks. He calls the decision a “rejection policy”. – What is Scholz waiting for? he asks rhetorically, writes the BBC. – This will affect Germany’s international reputation, says the German opposition politician. – Ukrainian blood is the price for hesitation The most critical reactions outside Germany come from neighboring Poland. Poland’s Foreign Minister Zbiniew Rau is disappointed by the German decision. Photo: Andreea Alexandru / AP The Poles have for a long time been impatient to send their Leopard tanks to Ukraine. But Poland needs the green light to export German weapons. They did not get that during the summit at the Ramstein base on Friday. – Ukrainian blood is being shed for real. Ukrainian blood is the price for hesitating on the delivery of Leopard, says Poland’s Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, BBC writes. – Sending weapons to Ukraine to stand against Russian aggression is not a form of exercise in making a decision. – We need action now, says the foreign minister. At the American military base Ramstein there was an intense tug of war. The most combustible topic was whether Ukraine will get its highest wish fulfilled, namely German Leopard 2 tanks. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said no to it on behalf of the German government. – I don’t know when a decision will be made about Leopard 2, he said. – There are good arguments for delivering the tanks to Ukraine and there are good arguments for not doing so, says the German foreign minister. German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius said no to the export of tanks on Friday. Here he is with his boss, Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Photo: Carsten Koall / AP Zelensky: – People are dying in our country President Volodymyr Zelenskyj does not hide his disappointment that Western countries are not complying with Ukraine’s request for modern tanks. – We must fight on to ensure the delivery of modern tanks. – There is no other alternative than sending heavy tanks to Ukraine, says Zelenskyj. Ukrainian President Zelensky is disappointed and will push for tanks. Photo: YURIY DYACHYSHYN / AFP Before the meeting on Friday, he pleaded for tanks. – You are adults. You may argue for another six months, but people are dying in our country. – To put it simply: Can you deliver Leopard tanks or not? In that case, give them to us, said an unusually crass Zelenskyj in an interview with German ARD. – Think faster On Saturday, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi asks Ukraine’s allies to think faster about stepping up military aid. – Today’s refusal to make decisions is killing several of us. – Every day of delay costs Ukrainians their lives. Think faster, says Mykhailo Podoljak according to Reuters. Ukraine’s supporters have this week promised several billion in new military aid. They still have not been able to agree to send modern German Leopard tanks, which have long been at the top of the Ukrainians’ wish list. Norwegian disappointment In this country, Venstre leader Guri Melby has distinguished himself as a driving force for Ukraine to get the weapons they are asking for. She is disappointed. Liberal leader Guri Melby is very disappointed after the German no to tanks. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB – The allies should have used this opportunity to also donate tanks, writes Melby in an email to news. – It is good that the allied countries have agreed on a new large weapons package for Ukraine, but I must say that I am disappointed that there was no agreement to send the tanks that Ukraine needs. – I hope that the government, in its further dialogue with NATO and other allies, works to ensure that Ukraine gets the tanks it needs to take back occupied areas from Russia, says the Liberal leader. Ine Eriksen Søreide from the Conservative Party is head of the Storting’s defense and foreign affairs committee. Chair of the Storting’s defense and foreign affairs committee Ine Eriksen Søreide. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB The former Norwegian foreign minister is not as clear about whether Ukraine should get the German tanks. – The way the war is developing, Ukraine needs heavier weapons to put down the Russian brutality and get the Russians out of Ukraine, she says to news. Eriksen Søreide shows understanding that Germany needs time to make up its mind. – Germany has historical reasons why they want to lie in the middle of the field and not lead the way, says Eriksen Søreide. Historical reasons Ever since the World War, Germany has had strict rules on the export of weapons. The country has also kept a low profile when it comes to rearming its own defence. The idea that perhaps German tanks will be in direct combat with Russian tanks on European soil is a scary thought for many Germans. At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany was almost ridiculed because the Germans sent helmets to Ukraine asking for weapons to defend themselves with. Much has changed in terms of German defense policy during the course of the war. Now Germany is being criticized for not sending the powerful Leopard tanks. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin led the meeting at Ramstein Air Force Base on Friday. He did not mention the dispute over the Leopard 2 at the press conference when the meeting ended. But the fact that Austin thanked Great Britain, which will send British tanks of the Challenger 2 type, is interpreted by many as a small kick to the host nation Germany. Leopard 2 tank. The picture was taken during a demonstration of the weapon in Hannover in September 2011. Photo: Michael Sohn / AP
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