Poland's statement on the transfer of modern German-made tanks to Ukraine is the first decision of this level. While a company of tanks won't make a difference on the battlefield, it will help other nations make a similar decision.
This was told to Channel 24 by a political expert, director of the Institute of World Politics Evgeny Magda. According to him, in transferring German tanks to Ukraine, Poland was guided not only by the desire to help Ukraine and put Russia in its place, but also to resolve its difficult relations with Germany.
What is happening between Poland and Germany
As Eugene Magda noted, relations between Poland and Germany have recently been difficult. In 2022, Poland demanded reparations from Germany for damages from World War II, but Germany refused Poland.
In 2023, parliamentary elections will be held in Poland, and many questions will be raised before them, including the war in Ukraine and reparations from Germany. Since Poland cannot dictate terms to other countries, it decided to follow the principle of “do as I do” and take the lead in supplying tanks to Ukraine.
The political expert believes that Poland, by its act, will encourage other countries to make similar decisions on the transfer of modern tanks to Ukraine.
Political expert told why Poland is transferring Leopard tanks to Ukraine: watch the video
How Ukrainians put pressure on Germany
Although Germany is refusing to supply tanks for now, but, as Magda noted, in the future it may agree to this, because millions of Ukrainian citizens now live in Germany and work for the good of this country, so the German authorities listen to them and draw conclusions in favor of Ukraine .
These citizens influence the citizens of Germany with their positive behavior, their positive attitude, their unwillingness to live on social assistance, but to work, find work and be useful to the local society. This is projected on the local politicians and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has no other choice but to say that Germany will supply tanks to Ukraine,” Yevhen Magda said.
Also, the political expert is sure that Ukrainians will hear this statement in the first quarter of 2023. At the same time, Magda noted the current transformation of Germany's views on the war in Ukraine and said that until February 24, 2022, Ukraine could not even receive a pistol cartridge from Germany, but during 2022 it received the Iris-T complex, and also expects the already promised Marder infantry fighting vehicles and the Patriot complex.
How Poland helps Ukraine
- Neighboring Poland has been helping Ukraine the most in the struggle for independence since the start of the full-scale invasion.
- The Poles welcomed millions of Ukrainian refugees, provided humanitarian and military assistance, and Poland became a logistics hub for the supply of weapons and other goods to Ukraine.
- Warsaw handed over to Kyiv more than a hundred Soviet T-72 tanks and tanks of its own modification PT-91 Twardy.
