loading…
Poland, a member of NATO, is ready to send an additional 60 modern battle tanks to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion. Photo/REUTERS
WARSAW – Poland a NATO country, is ready to send an additional 60 battle tanks to Ukraine in addition to the 14 German-built Leopard 2 tanks he had promised. It would be the largest supply of tanks by allied members to Kiev against the invasion Russia .
That was conveyed by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to CTV News.
Warsaw, which has positioned itself as one of Kiev’s staunch allies, has asked Germany to send its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries to do so as well. Berlin approved the request on Wednesday.
“Poland delivered 250 tanks as the first country half a year ago or even more than that,” Morawiecki told CTV News.
Also read: Ukraine asks fighter jets to fight Russia, this is Germany’s answer
In April last year, two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Poland said it had sent tanks to help Kiev fend off Moscow’s attack.
“Currently, we are ready to send our 60 modern tanks, 30 of which are PT-91. And on top of those tanks, 14 tanks, Leopard 2 tanks, from what we have.”
The PT-91 is a Polish-made battle tank that entered service in the 1990s. It was developed from the Soviet era T-72 tank.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Twitter to thank Poland for the decision to supply additional tanks. “Together we will win!” wrote Zelensky.
Canada on Thursday announced it would send four Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Norway also said it would send Leopard tanks, while Spain said it was open to providing them.
Ukraine says it needs hundreds of Leopard 2 tanks to oust Russian troops from its territory.
On Friday, Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Marcin Ociepa told broadcaster RMF FM that it would take about three months for the Leopard 2 tanks to reach Ukraine.
“It depends on which country we are talking about, but I would estimate that we are talking about a quarter… until the tanks are actually in Ukrainian territory and fighting,” he said.
(min)
