Rheinmetall wants to deliver up to 50 tanks to Ukraine

The armaments group Rheinmetall is preparing to deliver up to 50 used Leopard 1 battle tanks to Ukraine, reports the Handelsblatt on Monday, citing the group's CEO.

Rheinmetall could deliver the first tanks in six weeks and the rest in the following three months through its subsidiary Rheinmetall Italia if the German government gives the go-ahead, CEO Armin Papperger told a German newspaper.

Some German government politicians said it takes too long to train Ukrainians to use western weapons and that it is better to send them equipment that they can use immediately. read more

The Handelsblatt reports that politicians in the German governing coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats are open to a possible supply of Leopard tanks, the newspaper reports.

"You have to be trained a little more intensively on the Leopard 1. But if the Ukrainians want the tank, you should find a way," said Marcus Faber, defense policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, the newspaper.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday that weapons from Germany for Ukraine should be delivered quickly because a Russian attack from the east was imminent.

"With the decision to support Ukraine with weapons, Germany has made a commitment," said Habeck.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, Germany reversed its long-standing policy of not supplying arms to conflict zones, and Berlin has been supplying anti-tank weapons and missiles to Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed his troops to Ukraine to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine as part of a "special military operation". Ukraine and the West claim that Putin waged an unprovoked war of aggression.

Rheinmetall's Leopard 1 main battle tank is a predecessor of the Leopard 2 currently in service with the Bundeswehr, and the armies that use it have returned it to the supplier as part of their equipment upgrades, German media reports.