Croatia to buy German Leopard tanks, send Ukraine old vehicles
PHOTO CAPTION: German Leopard 2A6 tanks fire at targets during Amber Lynx, a combined live fire exercise at Bemowo Piskie, Poland, April 6, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Lianne M. Hirano via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Croatia will buy up to 50 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany in order to be able to replace Soviet-era tanks that it will in turn send to Ukraine, Croatia's defence minister said after meeting with his German counterpart in Berlin on Monday.
By acquiring the Leopard 2 A8 tanks, Croatia could then deliver 30 battle tanks and 30 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine by the end of 2024, said Defence Minister Ivan Anusic.
In a letter of intent signed by Anusic and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, both countries also agreed to send spare parts and ammunition from Croatian stocks to Ukraine, with financial support from Germany to be used for the Leopards.
"The fact that Croatia is working with us on the joint procurement of Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks strengthens Germany as an industrial location and ensures common standards within NATO," said Pistorius in a defence ministry statement.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Kirsti Knolle)
