EU Nation to Provide Tanks to Ukraine Under German Agreement
Croatia's Defense Ministry announced plans to send a number of its older tanks to Ukraine, following a deal established with Germany. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Kiev is set to receive older armor, specifically Yugoslavian-made vehicles, as announced by the Croatian Defense Ministry.
In a significant move amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, Croatia will provide Ukraine with dozens of its older tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. This transfer is part of an arrangement where Croatia will receive a discount on the purchase of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, according to the Croatian Defense Ministry.
Earlier this week, Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius engaged in discussions in Berlin, resulting in a signed letter of intent between the two NATO allies. The ministry's statement, issued on Tuesday, detailed that Zagreb and Berlin have confirmed plans to supply Kiev with 30 M-84 tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles, all of which are currently in use by the Croatian military. This initial delivery will include a total of 60 vehicles.
Under the terms of the agreement, Germany will acquire the hardware from Croatia, but in lieu of cash, Croatia will benefit from a discount on its future purchase of German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks, as clarified by the ministry.
Anusic referred to the arrangement as “suitable” for all three nations involved – Croatia, Germany, and Ukraine.
Croatia plans to procure a total of 50 Leopard 2 tanks as part of its armed forces modernization, as noted by the ministry.
The M-84, a Yugoslavian-made main battle tank derived from the Soviet T-72, began production in the mid-1980s. Croatia, previously part of Yugoslavia, upgraded these tanks throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Meanwhile, the BVP M-80 is a tracked infantry fighting vehicle produced in Yugoslavia from the 1980s until the country's disintegration in 1992.
Previously, in late 2022, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic remarked that “Ukraine is not an ally” and criticized the EU’s decision to grant Kiev candidate status as “cynical.” Last year, Croatia also declined to provide training to Ukrainian troops, voicing concerns about being drawn into the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. However, in 2023, Zagreb has begun delivering Mi-8 transport helicopters and robotic mine-clearing systems to Ukraine.
Moreover, Moscow has cautioned that the supply of weapons to Kiev by the US and EU countries will not alter Russia's military objectives in the conflict. Instead, Russian officials argue, it will only prolong the fighting and heighten the risks of a direct confrontation with NATO. They contend that the provision of arms, intelligence sharing, and Ukrainian troop training indicates that Western nations have effectively become de-facto participants in the conflict.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a significant move amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, Croatia will provide Ukraine with dozens of its older tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. This transfer is part of an arrangement where Croatia will receive a discount on the purchase of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, according to the Croatian Defense Ministry.
Earlier this week, Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius engaged in discussions in Berlin, resulting in a signed letter of intent between the two NATO allies. The ministry's statement, issued on Tuesday, detailed that Zagreb and Berlin have confirmed plans to supply Kiev with 30 M-84 tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles, all of which are currently in use by the Croatian military. This initial delivery will include a total of 60 vehicles.
Under the terms of the agreement, Germany will acquire the hardware from Croatia, but in lieu of cash, Croatia will benefit from a discount on its future purchase of German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks, as clarified by the ministry.
Anusic referred to the arrangement as “suitable” for all three nations involved – Croatia, Germany, and Ukraine.
Croatia plans to procure a total of 50 Leopard 2 tanks as part of its armed forces modernization, as noted by the ministry.
The M-84, a Yugoslavian-made main battle tank derived from the Soviet T-72, began production in the mid-1980s. Croatia, previously part of Yugoslavia, upgraded these tanks throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Meanwhile, the BVP M-80 is a tracked infantry fighting vehicle produced in Yugoslavia from the 1980s until the country's disintegration in 1992.
Previously, in late 2022, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic remarked that “Ukraine is not an ally” and criticized the EU’s decision to grant Kiev candidate status as “cynical.” Last year, Croatia also declined to provide training to Ukrainian troops, voicing concerns about being drawn into the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. However, in 2023, Zagreb has begun delivering Mi-8 transport helicopters and robotic mine-clearing systems to Ukraine.
Moreover, Moscow has cautioned that the supply of weapons to Kiev by the US and EU countries will not alter Russia's military objectives in the conflict. Instead, Russian officials argue, it will only prolong the fighting and heighten the risks of a direct confrontation with NATO. They contend that the provision of arms, intelligence sharing, and Ukrainian troop training indicates that Western nations have effectively become de-facto participants in the conflict.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
