At the "Masters of the Universe" / World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz indicated that Germany wouldn't send, or allow other nations to send, its world-class Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine until the U.S. sends its Abrams M-1 tanks. Many front line nations like Poland and Lithuania want to provide some of their Leopard 2 tanks to defend Ukraine, but need approval from Germany.
Germany under Scholz has been one of the more reluctant NATO allies to arm Ukraine even in the face of Russia's brutal and unprovoked attack on Ukraine and its population. The Guardian's Timothy Garton Ash argues that it's Germany's "unique historical responsibility" to help Ukraine in its hour of need, stemming from the devastation it unleashed on Ukraine in WW II:
"Germany has a unique historical responsibility to help defend a free and sovereign Ukraine. Europe’s central power is also uniquely qualified to shape a larger European response designed to end Vladimir Putin’s criminal war of terror in a way that deters future aggression around places such as Taiwan.
As a signal of strategic intent to measure up to this double obligation, from the past and for the future, the Berlin government should commit at the Ukraine defence contact group meeting in Ramstein, Germany, this Friday not only to allow countries such as Poland and Finland to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine but also do so itself, in a coordinated European action. Call it the European Leopard plan. [snip]
Berlin’s concerns about Russian escalation in response to higher-end western arms supplies – possibly even to the first use of a Russian nuclear weapon – are shared by the Biden administration in Washington. But there is no risk-free way forward. By systematically targeting Ukraine’s civilian population, Putin has already escalated. Now he is mobilising the Russian Federation’s vast reserves of manpower, and probably intends to launch a new offensive sometime this year. [snip]
On a sober strategic analysis, the only realistic path to a lasting peace is to step up military support for Ukraine so it can regain most of its own territory and then negotiate peace from a position of strength. The alternatives are an unstable stalemate, a temporary ceasefire or an effective Ukrainian defeat. Putin would then have demonstrated to Xi Jinping, and other dictators around the world, that armed aggression and nuclear blackmail can pay off handsomely. Next stop, Taiwan." (our emphasis)
Putin's regime must be denied a victory over Ukraine in the months ahead. Air defense weapons won't keep missiles from hitting all civilian targets, but they have kept Ukrainians alive to fight. Main battle tanks, whether Challengers from the U.K, Leopard 2's from Germany or Abrams M1-1's from the U.S., need to be supplied in the coming weeks and months to stem Russia's criminal attack. President Biden needs to meet Scholz's challenge and release a meaningful number of the Abrams tanks we have warehoused and unused.
