Germany is “shocked” by Poland’s accusation of broken promise on tanks

The German government has rejected claims from Polish President Andrzej Duda that Berlin had broken its promise to send tanks.

Politico reported about this.

Previously, the Polish president accused Berlin of not sending tanks to Warsaw to replace the ones sent to Kyiv.

“The federal government is shocked, that’s how I would put it,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.

Hebestreit rejected allegations, arguing that the German government had made it clear from the beginning that it was going to “have to see what we can deliver.”

The Polish side requested the transfer of state-of-the-art Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks to Poland.

“The problem is that the Bundeswehr itself only has a small number — about 50 — of these tanks,” Hebestreit said.

The German representative also added that while “more are in the pipeline, they are not standing on a car yard or factory site anywhere; they have to be manufactured.”

Steffen Hebestreit said that these circumstances had been clearly brought to Warsaw side.

Previously, Poland transferred over two hundred T-72 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.

In particular, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received Polish T-72M1 and T-72M1R tanks.

Modification of the T-72M1R includes the integration of new surveillance systems (including thermal imaging gunner’s sight), the installation of new means of communication and electronic starting system for the 780-horsepower engine.