Portugal will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the prime minister said – #Portugal #send #Leopard #tanks #Ukraine #prime #minister
LISBON, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Portugal to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine Prime Minister Antonio Costa said without specifying how many will be sent on Saturday.
Costa added that Portugal is in talks with Germany to acquire parts needed to repair a number of inoperable Leopard tanks in Portugal’s weapons inventory.
Lusa during Costa’s visit to the Central African Republic news told his agency: “We are currently working to be able to release a part of our tanks.” “I know how many tanks will be (sent to Ukraine), but it will be announced at the right time.”
Costa’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The head of Portugal’s armed forces, Admiral António Silva Ribeiro, said last month that Portugal had 37 Leopard 2 tanks, but it was widely reported in local media that most of them were not operational.
Portugal is working with Germany to obtain the parts needed to repair the inoperable tanks, which Costa said it hopes to deliver to Ukraine by the end of March.
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Ministry of Defence said that he would not comment on the “functionality of weapons and equipment systems” from the point of view of security.
of Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said earlier this week that his country would buy 120-140 Western tanks in the “first wave of deliveries” from the 12-nation coalition.
Kyiv Moscow received a promise from the West to supply main battle tanks to prevent a large-scale invasion of Russia of Ukraine made great efforts to make increasing progress in the east.
Reporting by Catarina Demony; Edited by William Maclean
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2023-02-04 19:51:37
Source – reuters
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