Lusa: Portugal will give Ukraine tanks Leopard 2

The Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, said that the republic will send Leopard 2 tanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), transmits Lusa agency.

“We are currently working on sending some of our tanks. I know how many tanks there will be [отправлено на Украину]but this will be announced in due course.” said prime minister (TASS quote).

According to him, Portugal is now in contact with Germany to get parts for the restoration of some tanks. Armaments can be sent to Kyiv by the end of March, the prime minister added.

At the same time, Nascer do SOL, citing defense sources on February 3 reportedthat the head of government refused to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. It was also reported that most of the 37 tanks in Portugal were inoperative due to a lack of spare parts.

“Despite the fact that they were purchased second-hand in the Netherlands, they belong to the most advanced Leopard 2 line (model A6) and are technologically very sophisticated. In addition, the army does not have and never has had a single live cartridge for firing at armored vehicles, but only training cartridges,” the article says.

On January 25, Germany and the United States announced the delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks and 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius specified that the first German military equipment would arrive in Ukraine in late March or early April.

Poland, Finland, Norway, Spain and the Netherlands also announced plans to transfer tanks to Kyiv. In addition, Great Britain is going to send its Challenger 2 to Ukraine.

In January, the Kremlin said that the supply of tanks to Kyiv would not change the situation, but would “add problems” for Ukraine. Later, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov stressed that the Leopard and Abrams tanks, which the West is going to transfer to Ukraine, will burn down in the same way as the rest of Western military equipment.