BERLIN, January 25. /TASS/. The head of The Left party faction in the German parliament, Dietmar Bartsch, lashed at the German government’s decision to supply Leopard 2 tanks to the Kiev government, saying that it potentially brings humanity closer to the third world war.

"The delivery of Leopard main battle tanks, which violates another taboo, is bringing us closer to the third world war, not to peace in Europe," he told the DPA news agency late on Tuesday, describing the German government’s decision as dangerous.

He described the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks as a "prelude" to a possible "disaster."

The Kiev government’s calls to deliver tanks will be followed by calls for delivery of warplanes and so on, the lawmaker warned.

Germany’s Der Spiegel reported earlier that Scholz had decided to supply Ukraine with at least one company of Leopard 2 tanks and to approve similar supplies of German-made weapons from other countries, in particular, from Poland.

The German government officially requested Germany’s permission to hand over German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine on Tuesday. Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that Warsaw would form an alternative coalition of countries ready to supply tanks to Ukraine if Germany does not agree. According to him, Poland has already made a decision on delivering a tank company (up to 14 vehicles) to Ukraine and will act at its own discretion regardless of Germany’s stance.