After Germany sent its tanks to Russia last time, Russian tanks entered Berlin
Ukraine’s victory over Russia on the battlefield is totally ruled out, Petr Bystron thinks
A German opposition lawmaker reminded his colleagues about the outcome of his country’s previous attempt to send its tanks to Russia, saying that now Russian T-34 tanks are on permanent display near the German parliament.
“German tanks [fighting] against Russia in Ukraine – remember, your grandfathers tried to do the same trick, together with [Ukrainian nationalists] Melnik, Bandera and their supporters. The result was immense suffering, millions of casualties on both sides and, eventually, Russian tanks came here, to Berlin,” Petr Bystron of the Alternative for Germany party said during a parliamentary debate about the possible delivery of Germany’s Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine.
“Two of those tanks remain on permanent display nearby, and you must keep this in mind when you pass them by every morning,” Bystron said, referring to two Soviet T-34 tanks that a part of the memorial to fallen Soviet soldiers near Bundestag.
In his opinion, Ukraine’s victory over Russia on the battlefield is totally ruled out. The United States remains the only country that benefits from a protracted conflict in Ukraine, he added.
German lawmakers did not support a proposal to vote on providing Ukraine with Leopard 2 main battle tanks on Thursday. The initiative was put forward by the CDU/CSU opposition alliance. The ruling parliamentary coalition, which comprises the Social Democrats, Greens and the Free Democrats, voted to bring the issue before the parliamentary committee on external affairs at a later date. Other German parties represented in the parliament – The Left and Alternative for Germany – also did not support the proposal.
Even if the vote took place and the initiative was supported, the parliamentary ruling would only be advisory in nature. Decisions on providing military aid to foreign countries are made by the German government.
Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said on Wednesday, citing its own sources, that the country’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz had said in a phone call with US President Joe Biden that Berlin would agree to authorize Leopard-2 tank supplies to Kiev only if Washington sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine. According to the paper, the US leader did not unequivocally confirm Washington’s plans to provide the tanks to Kiev during the call.
Western defence ministers will gather at the US Ramstein Base in Germany on January 20 to discuss further assistance to Kiev, primarily, the handover of Leopard tanks. The German delegation will be led by the country’s newly appointed Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
