Poland predicts Germany's isolation if it refuses to transfer tanks

Germany may find itself in international isolation if it refuses to transfer tanks to Ukraine. The pressure on Berlin is exerted by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.

This was stated by Arkadiusz Mularchyk, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister, PAP reports.

"Germany, by refusing to send tanks, falls into a certain international isolation and its position will be very weak if it continues to maintain such a position," he said on Polish radio.

Commenting on German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's statement that Germany would not object if Poland transferred Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, he said that "this statement is important and is a novelty because Germany has not expressed such a position until now."

"The foreign minister's statement yesterday is something new," he said and pointed out that many Central and Eastern European countries, Britain and the United States have been pressuring Germany.

Mularchyk also said that Poland has not asked Germany for the transfer of tanks, noting that the matter is in the hands of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Ministry of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak. "Such a request, of course, must be made, and I assume it will be made when Poland creates a certain coalition of countries," he added.

He said Germany is implementing its geopolitical vision, and "today they have to face the fact that their vision contradicts what they say, what they have pledged to defend – international law, the integrity and sovereignty of countries, the rule of law, and human rights".

"Today, this German policy faces what they have always said, and unfortunately, it looks pretty shabby against that backdrop because their actions are inconsistent with their loud statements about what they are supposedly defending," Mularczyk said.

"Only the public, international pressure and media pressure can change the German government's decision," he said.

As a reminder, a contact group meeting on defense support for Ukraine was held Friday, January 20, at the U.S. base in Ramstein. However, it did not bring a solution in the form of a German agreement to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, which Ukraine had hoped for even before the meeting.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 23/01/2022