Thread by @GSelkers

Whats the mood around Europe and the US with the upcoming #Ramstein meeting, the #Leopard question, regarding #tanks for #Ukraine?

Starting with #France . Le Monde has a good and moderate article about tanks in general for Ukraine, giving a good overview about what was done and what has to be done.
lemonde.fr/international/…

"For the moment, we are giving Ukraine samples," explains Marc Chassillan. Since the beginning of the war, the equipment delivered has improved in quality and performance, but not in quantity. The deliveries announced are not insignificant, but they will not be sufficient

on the ground. In France as in Germany, the delivery of this equipment, whose stocks were limited and precious, caused tension within the armies of each country."
And its not only about tanks:

"Tanks cannot act alone on the battlefield," said Mr Chassillan. They also need light tanks like the Marder or the Bradley to accompany them, they need engineers for example to clear mines... In short, beyond the tanks, it is the whole tactical environment that must be delivered.

In #Britain , the Guardian understands very well what #Scholz is about.
theguardian.com/world/2023/jan…

Scholz has made clear he wants to protect Germany from accusations of going it alone. Since the start of the invasion, he has repeatedly expressed his insistence that Germany will only commit to an increase in military support if it is in conjunction with a decision from other

countries to do the same. Ukraine has continuously stressed that the tanks are necessary to give its troops the mobile firepower they need to drive out Russian troops." - referring also to the #Davos2023 speech of Scholz.

In #Italy the Corriere della Serra points out technical issues and warns not to make a Wunderwaffe of #Leopard2
corriere.it/esteri/23_genn…

"Tanks are important, but there is no shortage of those who point out the diversity of models to be handled, the condition of some of them (and the time required to reactivate them), their effectiveness in this 'theatre'.

The Leopards used by the Turks in Syria have had problems, the Abrams are sophisticated, uneconomical machines with high 'maintenance' requirements." They also lauded the recent IFV effort by Sweden.

In #Spain 20 minutos talks about the recent deliveries by the #USA for #Ukraine, wondering about a lack of #Abrams in them.
20minutos.es/noticia/509389…

"US increases aid, but without tanks
The US government has joined the nine NATO countries, but the lack of M1 Abrams tanks, which had been expressly requested by Ukraine, was surprising. The new package includes 90 Stryker armoured personnel carriers and 59 Bradley"

#Norway debates about their contribution either, especially as their neighbor #Sweden has ramped up too.
vg.no/nyheter/innenr…

"- I believe that we must both be open to the fact that Norway can donate itself or help finance it, and that we must be clear that this is something Europe must do together, says Melby to VG."

#Austria daily Der Standard thinks about a potential compromise with the USA and Germany without Abrams delivery.
derstandard.at/story/20001427…

"Shoulder to shoulder" they stand, assured the heads of department, but there was still no talk of an agreement. Perhaps they just didn't want to anticipate the summit meeting. Although the USA remain skeptical about Abrams tanks and object to the Scholz requirement

(Leopard only if Abrams are also delivered), it transpired in advance that the delivery of around 100 Stryker wheeled armored personnel carriers would be a compromise could."

#Belgium in the meantime is another one on the list of ruling out tanks or artillery for Ukraine. Even though they announced a new delivery before Ramstein meeting.
nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf2023011…

"Artillery, armoured vehicles or tanks cannot be provided. "We don't have them or need them ourselves. That is a consequence of decades of underfunding," says Lieutenant Colonel Tom Simoens of the Royal Military Academy.

n alternative is to set up constructions where our country buys weapons for Ukraine. For example, the Netherlands wants to buy Leopard 2 tanks to send to the front immediately."

#Romania daily Libertatea sums up the vast effort for Ukraine of the allies made recently, something that often disappears behind the #Leopard2 debate.
libertatea.ro/stiri/lista-ar…

And #Poland at least finds lauding words for #Pistorius behind the lines of the usual #Leopard2 debate.
fakt.pl/polityka/boris…

"However, it is worth noting that after Russia's assault on Ukraine last year, Pistorius' statements began to take on a completely different tone. He criticised the Russians and supported Ukraine, which, in his words, "must win the war"."