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Sir Richard Shirreff, former NATO Allied Deputy Supreme Commander, criticized Germany’s refusal to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Photo/REUTERS
LONDON – A former deputy commander NATO condemned Germany’s refusal to deliver Leopard 2 battle tank the Ukraine as sad.
Retired General Sir Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Allied Commander-in-Chief of NATO, said Berlin was avoiding its responsibility to help repel a Russian invasion.
The former British general also compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was reluctant to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine because the United States also refused to send Abrams tanks to the Kiev forces.
Also read: Germany Allows This NATO Country to Send Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine
Other European countries that have Leopard tanks cannot send the German-made combat vehicles because they are bound by licensing agreements.
“Germany has a special responsibility because of its history, to help Ukraine defend itself against a bloodstained autocrat, ready to inflict unspeakable suffering on its neighbors, because Germany has been here before,” said Sir Richard.
“I’m not going to draw too many parallels, there is always danger, but the last time anyone had this kind of behavior it was Hitler,” he said.
Speaking to the Mail Online on Sunday (22/1/2023), he added: “So Germany has a special responsibility and shies away from this responsibility, and if it shirks this responsibility, how reliable is Germany as a NATO ally, when called upon to implement Article 5? Frankly, it’s sad.”
Article 5 of the NATO agreement says an armed attack against any member must be considered an attack against all members.
