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Portugal to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine

04.02.2023 13:45
Lisbon will provide Kiev with Leopard 2 tanks, Poland’s PAP news agency has reported.
A Leopard 2 A6 battle tank as seen in Augustdorf, Germany, February 1, 2023.
A 'Leopard 2 A6' battle tank as seen in Augustdorf, Germany, February 1, 2023. Photo: EPA/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL provided by PAP/EPA.

The announcement was made on Saturday by prime minister Antonio Costa.

However, he declined to specify the time of delivery and the number of vehicles to be shipped, PAP wrote.

 "I know how many tanks will be [sent to Ukraine] but that will be announced at the appropriate time," Costa told Portugal’s Lusa news agency, as cited by PAP.

The prime minister added  his government was in talks with Germany to obtain spare parts needed to mend a number of inoperable Leopard tanks in Portugal's inventory.

"We are currently working on how to dispense some of our tanks," Costa said.

The head of the Portuguese armed forces, admiral António Silva Ribeiro, said last month his country had 37 Leopard 2 tanks. However,  most of  them were supposed to be inoperable, according to reports by local media.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said earlier this week the country would receive 120 to 140 Western tanks in a "first wave" of deliveries from a coalition of 12 countries.

Kiev secured pledges from the West to supply main battle tanks to help fend off Russia's full-scale invasion, with Moscow mounting huge efforts to launch a big new  offensive in eastern Ukraine.

Poland has made major diplomatic efforts to encourage fellow NATO allies to join a coalition of tank donors for Ukraine, according to PAP.

Warsaw has decided to hand over 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks alongside some 60 post-Soviet T-72’s, calling on countries around the world to follow suit, PAP wrote.

(mo)

Source: PAP