WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told US lawmakers on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that Berlin is not going to send or authorize the transfer of tanks to Kiev until Washington commits to giving its own, media reported on Thursday, citing three people in the know.
The German chancellor was respectful in tone, but "pretty direct," one of the participants of the meeting said.
A German newspaper earlier reported that Scholz in a conversation with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday made it clear that his country would supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks, but on the condition that Washington sends its Abrams tanks.
On Wednesday, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said that the Abrams tank is a very complicated piece of equipment, which is "expensive, hard to train on" and has a jet engine, so it will be difficult for Ukraine to maintain it.
Addressing the WEF on the same day, Scholz highlighted that Germany was among the leading countries in terms of support for Ukraine and reaffirmed that his country would continue to provide assistance. At the same time, he rejected any unilateral steps on the issue, stressing that all decisions should be made in coordination with allies, especially the United States.
