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The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration said the delivery of German tanks was necessary to restore the nation’s borders.

“A few hundred tanks for our tank crews – the best tank crews in the world. This is what is going to become a real punching fist of democracy against the autocracy from the bog,” Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram shortly after sources said Berlin would approve the transfer of Leopard battle tanks.

The decision concerns at least one company of Leopard 2 A6 tanks that will be provided out of Bundeswehr stocks,saidSpiegel magazine,which first reported the news. One company usually comprises 14 tanks.

Other allies,in Scandinavia for example,intend to go along with Germany in supplying their Leopard tanks to Kyiv,the magazine reported.

In the longer term,more tanks could be restored to be fit for use.

US officials also said that Washington was poised to announce it would drop its opposition to sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine,in a move designed to encourage Germany to follow.

They said details were still being worked out. One official said the tanks would be bought under an upcoming Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package,which provides longer-range funding for weapons and equipment to be purchased from commercial vendors.

The Pentagon declined to comment on any coming announcements on the Abrams. It also declined to comment on whether Germany might green light deliveries of the Leopards.

Defence “Secretary[Lloyd] Austin did have very productive conversations with his German counterpart when he was in Germany” for meetings last week,Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told a news conference.

A decision to supply Ukraine with significant numbers of heavy modern battle tanks has dominated discussions among Kyiv’s Western allies in recent days.

Berlin has been pivotal because the German-made Leopards,fielded by armies across Europe,are widely seen as the best option – they are available in large numbers and are easy to deploy and maintain.

Scholz’s Social Democrats have been wary of moves that could spur Russia to escalate the war,and what they regard as a risk of the NATO alliance being drawn into the conflict.

Reuters,AP

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