Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stressed on Tuesday that Poland and the free world cannot afford not to send Leopard tanks and modern weapons to Ukraine, because the real threat is Russia’s insatiable hunger to conquer other countries.
In an interview with BBC News, Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed that Poland has officially asked Germany for permission to transfer its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and will wait a week or two for an answer but is determined to do it whatever the answer is. He stressed that in view of the expected new Russian offensive in Ukraine, the issue of helping this country is urgent, “and that is why we are talking to our German partners not to delay, not to delay, but to make a bold decision and join the countries that want to send modern tanks, Leopard tanks to Ukraine”.
Asked in the second part of the interview why Poland, if the matter is urgent, will wait for Germany’s answer, Prime Minister Morawiecki recalled that Poland has already sent the most tanks of all NATO countries to Ukraine – 250, and plans to is “very soon” send a set of modern tanks, probably about 50-60 new tanks.”
What we’re talking about now is 14 tanks, Leopard tanks. So this is in addition to what we have already sent and the main thing now is to build a coalition of countries so that we can not only send these 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine
he explained.
He pointed out that other countries, especially Germany, had 350 active Leopard tanks and 200 Leopard tanks in storage.
Why are you keeping them in storage? Even the German company Rheinmetall officially said it was going to send it could send more than 100 Leopard tanks. These are the numbers that we are talking about and that are urgently needed in Ukraine
emphasized the Polish Prime Minister.
Referring to the arguments put forward by some that the transfer of tanks to Ukraine could be seen as an escalation of the war, Mateusz Morawiecki said he disagreed.
Poland and the free world cannot afford not to send Leopard tanks and modern weapons to Ukraine
he said.
Action by the Russians
He explained that Poland, through centuries of neighborly relations, knows very well how the Russians operate.
When they attacked Georgia, they were looking for another prey. At the time they attacked Ukraine, they were looking for the next phase of the attack on Ukraine, and after the Crimean peninsula, they attacked Ukraine in 2022. And that is why we know very well that Russia’s insatiable appetite for domination, conquering other countries , is the real and only threat to security, stability and peace in Europe, but I also believe that this war is important for our whole world
he pointed it out.
He added that it was extremely important that Britain had already declared that it would send its tanks.
This is a clear example for France and Germany that this step is possible and that this is our common cause. This is the raison d’être of NATO as a whole. Therefore, I am very happy that the Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak) has taken such a decision and it just confirms that we are working closely with the UK to counter this threat from the East.
said Mateusz Morawiecki.
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Source: wPolityce