Leopard tanks: a former NATO secretary general regrets Germany’s “hesitations”
The “hesitations” of Germany to allow the shipment of Leopard heavy tanks to Ukraine have “ allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase the intensity of the war without consequences “, considers the former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in a interview granted to the BBC.
“I see no logical argument to justify the German hesitation. (…) We should not give Putin time to devise new murderous strategies. So we have to force the Russians to go on the defensive.”he recommends.
“We have followed for too long what I would call a bureaucratic strategy of gradually increasing arms deliveries when Putin opted for one-upmanship and this gradual strategy must now be replaced by one of surprise to ensure that the Ukrainians push the Russians on the defensive. »
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who, in addition to NATO, led the Danish government, is also in favor of the establishment of a no-fly zone. “We must now close the skies of Ukraine to protect the population. (…) So we have to deliver anti-aircraft, anti-missile, anti-drone and long-range missiles to hit the Russian launchers. In addition, we must deliver heavy combat tanks to give the Ukrainians the means to regain the lost ground”he adds.