Poland ready to build ‘smaller coalition’ to send tanks to Ukraine without Germany - POLITICO Europe

If Germany won’t play ball, past Poland volition find different partners to present Leopard 2 conflict tanks to Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said successful pointed remarks accusing Berlin of foot-dragging successful its enactment of Kyiv against invading Russian forces.

Poland is prepared to spell astir German absorption to physique a “smaller coalition” of countries and find allies consenting to nonstop the tanks to Ukraine, Morawiecki said successful an interview with the Polish Press Agency published connected Sunday.

“We volition not passively ticker Ukraine bleed to death,” Morawiecki said.

His remarks travel amid a heated statement implicit whether to nonstop the German-made conflict tanks to Ukraine. Kyiv has requested the weapons successful bid to renew its violative against Russia successful a propulsion to reconquer captured territory.

Germany has expressed reluctance toward sending tanks without the U.S. doing the same, arsenic it fears an escalation of the conflict. Berlin besides holds a veto powerfulness implicit the re-export of the weapons from immoderate of its allies. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has denied blocking immoderate deliveries.

“We are successful precise adjacent dialog connected this contented with our planetary partners, supra each with the U.S.,” Pistorius, who took up the defence station past week, said successful an interrogation with Bild published connected Sunday.

Morawiecki has previously said that helium was acceptable to spell up with Leopard deliveries adjacent without Berlin’s approval.

“Since Minister Pistorius denies that Germany is blocking the proviso of tanks to Ukraine, I would similar to perceive a wide declaration that Berlin supports sending them,” the premier curate told the Polish Press Agency.

“The warfare is present and now. … Do the Germans privation to support them successful retention until Russia defeats Ukraine and is knocking connected Berlin’s door?” Morawiecki said.

Political expert Volodymyr Fesenko said in a statement that Germany was edging towards allowing the tanks to beryllium sent — and advised “patience and perseverance.” But the broader takeaway was that Ukraine had to rebuild its ain armaments manufacture successful bid to not person to lone trust connected assistance from overseas successful the future, helium added.