Whenever demands for the delivery of battle tanks are raised from Ukraine, Chancellor Scholz points out that he does not want to go it alone without the NATO partner USA. The US Deputy Secretary of State explains that Germany must decide for itself.
The US has no problem with supplying German Leopard 2 main battle tanks or German Patriot anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine. "Our position is the same in both cases: It is Germany's decision what Germany does," US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told journalists during her visit to Germany in Berlin. Ukraine has been demanding the delivery of Leopard 2 battle tanks from the federal government for months.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly emphasized that Germany will not go it alone when it comes to supporting Ukraine with Western-style main battle tanks. So far, no NATO country has delivered such tanks. Ukraine also wants US-type "Patriot" air defense systems, which Germany has so far only been willing to make available to its NATO partner Poland to protect the border area with Ukraine.
Sherman said the federal government has done great things, shown leadership and made very tough decisions in providing military support to Ukraine. "I assume that Germany will do whatever it thinks is appropriate and right for Germany."
The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" reported a few days ago that the United States had signaled to the federal government its approval of the delivery of battle tanks a long time ago, citing two sources who have access to confidential information from two countries. Accordingly, the security advisor to the US President, Jake Sullivan, informed the foreign policy advisor to the Federal Chancellor, Jens Plötner, in October.
A source reportedly said Sullivan told Plotner on the phone that the US would welcome Germany to deliver the "Leopard 2" but that it should do so on a German initiative. America is not asking Germany to make such deliveries. The second source said Sullivan signaled Plotner in October that it was "okay" if Germany delivered.
