The Netherlands will not transfer to Ukraine 18 Leopard 2A6s rented from Germany

18 Leopard 2A6 tanks, which the Netherlands is renting from Germany, will not be sent to Ukraine.

The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren said about this, WNL reports.

According to her, these tanks “are not part of the supply plan” because the German government has decided not to hand them over to Ukraine.

“It was a military consideration,” Ollongren clarifies.

At the same time, the head of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands adds that if Berlin still decided to give permission to send these tanks to Kyiv, “we wouldn’t go for it anyway”.

As previously reported, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte shared in January that the Netherlands was also considering providing Ukraine with 18 modern Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which they had rented from Germany.

In 2011, the military leadership of the Netherlands decided to remove all 73 units of its Leopard 2A6 tanks.

However, after the beginning of the Russian hybrid war against Ukraine, the country revised its policy and leased 18 Leopard 2A7 tanks from Germany.

The leasing agreement stipulated that the tanks belonged to the Bundeswehr, but could be used to defend the Netherlands if necessary.

They are part of the 414 Tank Battalion, a German-Dutch unit based in Lohheide, Lower Saxony.

Earlier this week it became known that the Netherlands, along with Denmark and Germany, were ready to supply at least 100 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine. The equipment is planned to be purchased directly from the German industry.

The countries will also supply spare parts and ammunition, and the Netherlands is ready to participate in the training of Ukrainian crews.