German Government Demands Tanks for Tanks from US, Puts Biden Administration in Difficult Position

German officials have recently indicated that they will not send their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, or allow any other country with the German-made tanks in their inventory to do so, unless the US also agrees to send its M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv. This has put the Biden administration in a difficult position, as the Pentagon has said for months it has no intention of doing so due to the logistical costs of maintaining them.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that Germany will only act in concert with allies, and is demanding tanks for tanks from the US. Despite German efforts to pressure the US into providing Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the Pentagon’s top leaders are against sending them, according to three US officials. President Joe Biden has also reportedly decided not to pressure Germany to send the Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

The standoff has come ahead of a key meeting of Western defense leaders in Germany on Friday. The tank issue is expected to be discussed at the meeting, although it is unclear what the outcome will be.

The Biden administration is currently in a difficult position, as it is stuck between the German government’s demands and the Pentagon’s reluctance to send tanks to Ukraine. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved, and what impact it may have on the meeting of Western defense leaders.