The Netherlands is open to paying for Leopard tanks to be sent to Ukraine as part of a coalition of European and NATO allies, said Dutch Minister of Defense Kajsa Ollongren.
(Bloomberg) — The Netherlands is open to paying for Leopard tanks to be sent to Ukraine as part of a coalition of European and NATO allies, said Dutch Minister of Defense Kajsa Ollongren.
The country previously paid for Soviet-era T-72 tanks from the Czech Republic to be sent to Kyiv, and that approach could be replicated for the German-made Leopard tanks, she said.
“That is definitely something that we would be willing to do,” Ollongren told Bloomberg News in an interview from Davos, Switzerland.
Ollongren noted that Poland and Finland have both announced they’re willing to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of a coalition. All such moves would require Berlin’s authorization. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday he was in talks with allies over potentially supplying the vehicles.
German officials and the country’s economy minister have said Berlin wants to make a joint move on tanks in step with the US. Scholz reportedly wants the US to send the M1 Abrams, its main battle tank, to Ukraine.
“We are all waiting to hear what the German position is on this, but I’m an advocate to trying to find a solution and trying to send tanks to Ukraine,” Ollongren said.
In addition to providing tanks, any coalition would also require partners to provide ammunition, training and other support capabilities.
Defense ministers from several allied nations with gather at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday, to discuss Ukraine’s military needs. “Tomorrow is a very important meeting,” said Ollongren.
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