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German chancellor dodges question on Leopard tank deliveries to Ukraine

Olaf Scholz added that Germany is in talks with the US on how to proceed but noted that these talks are confidential

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

© AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

GENEVA, January 17. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos did not directly answer a question as to whether his country will allow delivering its Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

"We are supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary with all the means that we can use," Scholz said, adding that the aim is to "avoid that this is going to be a war between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

He added that Germany is in talks with the US on how to proceed but noted that these talks are confidential.

As Bloomberg reported earlier, the German government is expected to make a decision on sending the Leopard tanks to Ukraine. According to the news agency, it is likely that this move will be approved. On January 11, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Warsaw decided to provide a company of Leopard tanks to Ukraine. German cabinet spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said at a briefing that Berlin has not yet received any specific requests on re-exporting the tanks. Such deliveries cannot be made without Germany’s permission because it produces these tanks.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine Germany Olaf Scholz

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