By Andrea Thomas
BERLIN (Dow Jones)–Germany is unlikely to change its stance on supplying Western main battle tanks to Ukraine any time soon. This was explained by a high-ranking government official who did not want to be named. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will therefore probably not announce delivery of the battle tanks requested by Ukraine during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
“There is no change pending. But even the Chancellor never said: I will never deliver tanks, he said: What we are doing is not going it alone,” said the high-ranking official at a press conference on the upcoming trip to New York . “At the moment there is no country that supplies western main battle tanks. And I don’t know of any from the large number of my discussions that are preparing for this. In this respect, I don’t see any change in the foreseeable future.”
However, Scholz made it clear that the long-term goal must be to equip Ukraine with a modern Western army with which it can defend itself. “We are prepared to take responsibility for this,” said the official. Weapons are therefore already being ordered for Ukraine, which could only be delivered in months. The official also dismissed speculation that the chancellery was working on a ceasefire plan for Ukraine along the lines of the Minsk 1 and 2 accords. After the recent talks with Russia there is no reason to expect any movement there. One had to be prepared for a longer war, explained a second official, who also did not want to be named.
Scholz’s visit to the United Nations Assembly will also deal with climate protection and the establishment of an international climate club.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 16, 2022 07:54 ET (11:54 GMT)