Britain sends Ukraine 600 missiles as Germany holds back on tanks

Britain has tried to convince Berlin it would not be ‘going it alone’ by giving Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or allowing other countries to donate theirs.

Ben Wallace said sending western tanks to Ukraine was not 'remotely ­escalatory'. Picture: Pavel Golovkin/AP/The Times

Britain will send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace has announced as he made a last-minute effort to convince Germany to donate western tanks to the country.

Speaking on Nato’s eastern border with Russia, the UK defence secretary said Berlin would not be “going it alone” by giving Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as he gave details of a further package of lethal aid on the eve of a crucial meeting at Ramstein airbase in Germany.

On Thursday, nine Nato countries, including the UK, agreed “The Tallinn Pledge”, making a commitment to an “unprecedented set of donations, including main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine’s defence”.

The Ministry of Defence said it would be working with Estonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Slovakia to persuade other partners to match their contributions.

Germany has blocked Poland and other European nations from donating Leopards, frustrating Ukraine, which fears that Russian president Vladimir Putin could mobilise half a million troops in preparation for a spring offensive.

Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor, has refused to lift a veto on exports of the tanks, citing the risk of Nato being dragged into a conflict with Russia and the failure of the US to send its own Abrams tanks.

However, speaking in front of British troops at the Tapa army base in Estonia, about 1500km from the Russian border, Wallace said that sending western tanks to Ukraine was not “remotely escalatory … When you use a tank to defend your nation it’s a defensive weapon. Ukraine is not interested in invading anyone else.”

Wallace was hosting a meeting of eastern European defence ministers at the army base, where he showcased Challenger 2 tanks, AS-90 self- propelled artillery guns and Bulldog armoured vehicles, all of which formed part of a British package of military aid announced this week.

In a final push to demonstrate British willingness to support Ukraine, Wallace said the UK would donate another 600 Brimstones. Kyiv has already received hundreds of the missiles, which have a range of 12 miles and cost about £175,000 ($300,000) each.

At the Ramstein meeting, the US is expected to announce its largest package of lethal aid to Ukraine. President Joe Biden is said to be considering whether to donate weaponry that could strike Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

Before the meeting, the US and Germany held talks in Berlin as Ukraine reiterated its demands for Leopard 2 tanks. The tanks are operated by 14 European countries, meaning they are particularly prized by Ukraine because there are abundant spare parts.

“We need all the strength there is out there because we are fighting against all of this tyranny,” President Zelensky said in an address to world leaders at Davos. “Our objective is to liberate all of our territories.”

The Times