Germany issues update on tank ‘repair hub’ for Ukraine
Germany and Poland are nearing an agreement to establish a “repair hub” for Leopard battle tanks damaged in Ukraine, Berlin’s ambassador to Warsaw, Thomas Bagger, told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The diplomat voiced hope that a deal to set up the facility in Poland would be reached before NATO leaders meet for a major summit next month.
Negotiations between the two sides will be finalized sometime “in the coming days,” ahead of the alliance meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania starting on July 11, Bagger stated. The repair center will provide parts for German-made tanks now used by Kiev, which are in short supply on the battlefield, the envoy told the outlet.
Ukraine has deployed Leopard 2s during its much-anticipated counteroffensive against Russia which was launched last week. Several tanks have already been destroyed or abandoned on the battlefield.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that a number of Leopards, as well as US-made M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, were captured after the fighting in Zaporozhye Region.
During a visit to Paris earlier this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that discussions for the repair center were reaching a conclusion, noting that Berlin would soon be able to help service the tanks from Poland, which has served as a transit hub for Western military aid to Kiev.
“Of course, it’s best if weapons systems only move a short distance outside of Ukraine, get repaired on the scene and then are redeployed,” Scholz said after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and President Andrzej Duda of Poland, as cited by Bloomberg.
Germany and other NATO members have pledged to deliver more than 80 Leopard 2 tanks and around 100 of the older Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine. They are also providing training to Ukrainian crews.
Germany, Poland and Ukraine first announced plans for the tank repair project in April, with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius saying it would cost up to €200 million ($215 million) each year. He suggested at the time that the repairs could begin by May.
