Germany will decide on the transfer of Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine next week, while European allies assess how to help the government in Kyiv in the event of an increase in hostilities in the spring, Bloomberg writes, citing two German officials close to the German government..

Berlin will make a decision before a meeting of senior defense officials from allied countries at the American air base in Ramstein on January 20. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his German counterpart Christina Lambrecht will meet in Berlin a day earlier.

In Ramstein, Lambrecht plans to send a clear message about tanks.

As of Thursday, Berlin still hasn't made a concrete decision, but pressure is mounting on Germany to send heavy tanks..

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The German official added that the UK is ready to send its Challenger 2 battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a joint agreement with other allies..

It is not yet clear whether Germany will only allow other countries to send German Leopard tanks to Ukraine or whether it will supply directly. In addition to the Leopard 2 tanks, there are still about 180 modifications of the older Leopard 1 in Germany..

German officials say the Leopard 1, made in the 1960s, is still capable of competing with the Russian battle tank.

During a visit to Lviv on January 11, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that within the framework of the international coalition of allies, including Poland, Ukraine will receive a company of Leopard 2 tanks. Tank company has 10 tanks. On January 13, Germany announced that there had not yet been a request from Poland for the supply of tanks to Ukraine.