Will Ukraine get tanks from Germany after all? As it became known on Monday, the armaments company Rheinmetall apparently wants to deliver 88 Leopard tanks to Ukraine. An application for this is said to have already been received by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs, reports the “Welt”, citing a ministry spokeswoman who did not want to comment further on the matter “for reasons of confidentiality”. However, whether the Leopard tanks are actually sent to Ukraine is up to the Federal Security Council to decide – but in the final instance it is decided by Olaf Scholz, who heads the council in his office as Federal Chancellor.
But: Even if Scholz, whose hesitant attitude regarding arms deliveries to Ukraine, has increasingly maneuvered him into the crossfire of criticism in recent days and weeks, releases the Leopard tanks – yes, even then the Ukrainians would have to stay on theirs for almost as long Waiting for arrival as the war already goes on. Rheinmetall is said to have put the “delivery time” for the tanks at “six to eight weeks”. And even then, only a quarter of the tanks could be delivered. According to the “Welt” report, Rheinmetall has assured Ukraine that 22 of the 88 tanks could be delivered to Kyiv in six to eight weeks. The remaining 66 would then gradually follow until “the end of 2023” (!). As a “catch” on the matter, Rheinmetall then states that the delivery only includes a small amount of ammunition. The offer includes only 3500 shots.
