German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was under pressure on Thursday both within his coalition and from the opposition to approve the sending of tanks to Ukraine, after the announcement made by France on the eve of the delivery of light combat tanks, France Presse reports.

„The argument constantly advanced by the chancellery, according to which Germany must not commit itself, is absolutely outdated,” the president of the Defense Commission in the Bundestag – the lower house of the parliament – Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a personality of the liberal FDP party, told AFP.

Paris has promised Ukraine to supply French-made AMX-10RC light battle tanks in response to Kiev’s pressing needs to counter the Russian army. Ukraine’s European allies have already delivered Soviet-designed tanks, but never Western-made tanks, despite Kiev’s repeated requests.

„Once more, France assumes the role we expect from Germany and takes it forward”, Strack-Zimmermann expressed his regret, according to which „the ball is now in Berlin’s court”.

The German government has so far refused to deliver tanks under the pretext that such a measure must be decided by mutual agreement with the Western allies and that Germany and NATO must not be directly involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Agerpres