German weapons 'essential for survival': Ukrainian envoy

Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev has urged the government in Berlin to quickly provide his country with Leopard 2 battle tanks, ahead of negotiations on further weapons deliveries, reported dpa.

"German weapons, German tanks are essential for survival," he told dpa in an interview. "We have very little time for discussions. And we expect our allies to understand that and act appropriately."

On January 20, defence ministers from Ukraine's Western allies will meet at the US Ramstein air base in western Germany to discuss further military support for the fight against Russia.

Britain was the first country to announce that it would provide the Ukrainian armed forces with Western-made battle tanks - namely 14 of its own Challenger 2.

Poland and Finland are prepared to supply German-made Leopard 2 tanks as part of a European alliance. The German government has not yet taken a position on this.

Makeiev said that without the Leopard tanks, further reconquest of the Russian-occupied territories would not be possible, insisting that they were the tanks best suited to Ukraine's needs.

"German air defence systems help us to strike down the missiles, and the German tanks will help us to free more territory. And there will be fewer atrocities carried out there by the Russians," he said. "German weapons save lives."

The German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall pointed out that a delivery of refurbished Leopard battle tanks from its stocks to Ukraine would take time.

"Even if the decision is made tomorrow that we are allowed to send our Leopard tanks to Kiev, delivering them will take until the beginning of next year," Rheinmetall boss Armin Papperger told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

Rheinmetall has 22 Leopard 2 vehicles and 88 of the older Leopard 1 model.

Makeiev reiterated that Ukraine was fighting a "proxy war" on behalf of all its allies.

"No one else is fighting Russia. But the Ukrainians are doing it. Russia is waging a war not only against Ukraine, but against Europe and the whole civilized, democratic world. And in this war, Ukrainians are on the front line."

"We are not asking for German soldiers or Amercian soldiers - only weapons," he said.