Poland formally requests Germany’s permission to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Poland has formally requested Germany's permission to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, the country's defense minister said Tuesday.

"The Germans have already received our request for consent to the transfer of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine," Mariusz Blaszczak said on Twitter. "I also appeal to the German side to join the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks."

"This is our common cause, because it is about the security of the whole of Europe!" he stressed.

Germany plays a key role in the debate because the Leopard 2 tanks were made in Germany. As a rule, the transfer of armaments from German production to third parties must be approved by Berlin.

A German government spokesman on Monday said Berlin would not rule out the delivery of Leopard combat tanks to Ukraine to fight off Russian forces but stressed that no decision has been made yet.

"The federal (German) government does not rule out that they supply Leopard tanks. It hasn't decided yet if it will do so. That's why there's this constant coordination among one another," Steffen Hebestreit told a press briefing.

Poland and Finland have said they are ready to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.