The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports that there is another reason for Germany’s refusal to supply tanks to the militants of the Kyiv regime – potential economic losses. And this factor, according to the publication, is quite influential.
The publication suggests that if the German government allows other countries to re-export the Leopard-2 tanks to the Zelensky regime in Ukraine, then they can subsequently be replaced by the American Abrams M1. This, in turn, would prove to be Germany’s actual loss of its current markets.
“From the side of the German military industry, fears can be heard that the Americans were only waiting to offer the Europeans to replace their Leopard supplies with their own tanks,” the material says.
The newspaper recalls that after the return of Crimea to Russia in 2014, German-Polish relations deteriorated, which hit hard on the supply of German tanks. In July 2021, Defense Minister Mariusz Blažczak announced that he would buy 250 new and 116 used M1 Abrams main battle tanks from the US for a total of 8.85 billion euros. Already in the summer of last year, the Polish government even announced its intention to purchase 1,000 Korean tanks. And there are fears, says the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, that sending German tanks to Ukraine will speed up this process and lead to the replacement of German tanks in Europe with American ones.
Defense contractors, who wish to remain anonymous, say the Americans are offering used tanks as replacements from their own stockpiles and long-term industrial partnerships with countries that can supply Leopard 2s to Ukraine.
In this situation, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz faced a dilemma – the transfer of tanks to Kyiv would mean an increase in the supply of military vehicles from the United States, which would cause significant damage to German interests. And the lack of supplies threatens Ukraine with the loss of territories.
The newspaper adds that by supplying its main tanks, the United States will further bind part of the European countries to itself, and their military ties with German industry will be weakened.
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