Tanks for Ukraine: Polish PM urges German bravery on Leopard 2 decision

Poland's premier curate has called connected Germany to beryllium "brave" and let his state to export 14 Leopard 2 conflict tanks to Ukraine.

Mateusz Morawiecki told the BBC that Germany had a "special responsibility", having built up "huge Russian funds" earlier the warfare by buying its gas.

Ukraine sees the tanks arsenic captious for breaking done Russian lines and to bushed an anticipated counter-offensive.

But arsenic Leopard 2s are made successful Germany, Berlin needs to o.k. their export.

Germany has been hesitant to nonstop its ain oregon let different nations to bash the same.

One of its concerns is that a abrupt determination could further escalate the struggle with Russia.

Mr Morawiecki said helium would springiness Germany 1 oregon 2 weeks to marque a determination - but would nonstop its tanks, immoderate Berlin says.

"We volition bash this, nary substance what the determination is going to be," helium said. "But we privation to spell on the procedures which are requested of us."

He besides maintained that Germany should nonstop immoderate of its ain Leopard 2s - helium said they had 350 operational Leopard tanks and 200 successful storage.

"Why support them successful storage?" helium asked.

The German authorities told the BBC it had received the petition to export 14 German-made tanks connected Tuesday.

The Leopard 2 tanks were specifically designed to vie with the Russian T-90 tanks, which are being utilized successful the invasion.

In a BBC interview, Mr Morawiecki said that an urgent determination from Germany was "so important".

"This is wherefore we person speech to our German partners, not to procrastinate, not to delay, but conscionable to instrumentality brave decisions," helium said.

"Germany played a cardinal relation successful gathering up the immense Russian funds for this warfare by buying Russian gas, trading with Russia, large time. Now determination is simply a peculiar work connected Germany's shoulders," helium added.

He earlier accused Germany of "delaying, dodging, acting successful a mode that is hard to understand".

Mr Morawiecki said that Poland was "just astir to send" 50 to 60 much tanks to Ukraine.

He did not sanction the benignant of tank, but was astir apt referring to much Soviet-era tanks. Poland has already sent astir 250 Soviet epoch T-72 tanks to Ukraine.

On Tuesday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin had fixed allied nations the greenish airy to bid Ukrainians to usage Leopard 2 tanks, but did not perpetrate to sending their own.

Mr Pistorius said a determination astir supplying the tanks would beryllium made soon. The military's main of unit added that immoderate determination would beryllium taken astatine a governmental level.

"We are encouraging our partners if they privation to, and if they person the opportunity, to commencement grooming Ukrainian forces connected these Leopard vehicles," Mr Pistorius said successful a quality league with Nato caput wide Jens Stoltenberg.

But Miguel Berger, Germany's ambassador to the UK, told the BBC that decisions would "not beryllium driven by the quality cycle".

Sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine "would enactment unit and further hostility connected the narration betwixt Germany and Russia", helium said.

"Chancellor Scholz needs to person the clip to analyse the strategical implications of the determination and past marque a determination with partners - this is precise important."

Speaking connected Tuesday, Poland's Defence Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, said helium was appealing to Germany to "join the conjugation of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks".

"This is our communal cause, due to the fact that the information of the full of Europe is astatine stake!" helium added.

But Mr Pistorius defended German Chancellor Olaf Scholz against disapproval that helium was dragging his feet.

"Taking the pb does not mean blindly going ahead," helium said. "And if the determination takes different time oregon two, past that's conscionable the mode it is."

The UK has promised 14 Challenger tanks, portion France is considering sending immoderate of its Leclerc conflict tanks.