US defense chief in Berlin to discuss military support to Ukraine

BERLIN (AA) - US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Berlin for talks with his new German counterpart Boris Pistorius on Thursday.

“I look forward to meeting with German Minister of Defense Pistorius and Federal Minister Schmidt, to discuss our shared defense priorities and enhanced cooperation among democracies,” Austin said on Twitter, ahead of the meeting.

A senior American official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told US media that providing Ukraine with armored fighting vehicles and tanks will be among the key issues to be discussed.

The German government has been hesitant so far to deliver Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, despite growing calls from its Western allies.

The US official stressed that a number of allies, such as Poland and Finland, are willing to provide Ukraine with German-made Leopard tanks, but they need third-party transfer approval from Germany.

One of the focuses for Defense Secretary Lloyd is to work with Germany to "unlock that decision," the official said.

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged additional military support to Ukraine but remained reluctant about delivering Leopard battle tanks.

When asked about the Leopard tanks, during a panel at the annual World Economic Forum, Scholz gave a cautious reply.

“The Ukrainians can rely on our support for the courageous fight, but it is also clear that we will avoid that this is becoming a war between Russia and NATO,” he said.