There could be a way out: While criticism of Germany's decision not to deliver battle tanks to Kyiv for the time being increased in the American government after the meeting of the Ukraine contact group in Ramstein, Washington is talking about a possible solution to the blockade.

Majid Sattar

Political correspondent for North America based in Washington.

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Congress members suggest that the Biden administration should respond to Berlin's demand and supply Abrams main battle tanks itself, albeit in small numbers.

Then the German allies would give up their resistance, and Kyiv would finally receive the much-needed Leopard 2 tanks - from the arsenal of the Bundeswehr and from other partners, who then received an export license for the German-made tanks.

The push comes from both the Democratic and Republican sides.

House Democrat Seth Moulton, who spoke with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Davos last week, said afterwards that as the chancellor wants to stay in lockstep with Washington, he thinks Moulton the Biden administration has "some tanks" should deliver if requested by Berlin.

"That's called leadership."

"To the Germans: Deliver Tanks"

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was in Kyiv recently, said he was fed up with the disaster.

“To the Germans: Deliver tanks to Ukraine.

you need them

And it is in your national interest that Putin loses the war.

To the Biden administration: Deliver tanks for others to follow our lead.”

Jeff Rathke, President of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, explained the background to the idea to the FAZ: The proposal by foreign politicians such as Graham or Moulton to "deliver Abrams tanks, perhaps in a rather symbolic number, would neutralize reservation and allow organization of a Leo 2 consortium”.

Regarding objections from the US government, which has so far cited technical and logistical reasons for not supplying M1 Abrams, Rathke said: "It might be militarily, logistically and budgetarily inefficient to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, but Washington may decide that it is worth the price.”

Former CIA director David Petraeus also supports the move: he is disappointed that Washington is not even providing a tank company, he said.

That would be 14 M1 Abrams main battle tanks.

Despite the technical problems.

If that's what it takes to get Germany to supply Leopard 2 tanks itself and allow Poland, Finland, the Baltic states and others to do so, it's worth it, he said.

The pitch has changed

The exchange between Scholz and Moulton shows that the idea is being discussed by both governments.

However, on Friday, after the deliberations in Ramstein, there was no agreement.

Since then, the tone in Washington has changed.

Publicly, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin still refrained from criticizing the federal government for its stance.

Since then, however, high-ranking government officials have been quoted from the Pentagon, who have made it clear that they do not understand Germany's refusal.

The background is that before the Ramstein conference, Berlin turned the tables and asked Washington to deliver Abrams.

This is the prerequisite for Kyiv to receive Leopard 2.

This was met with incomprehension in Washington: for months the Biden government had refrained from publicly pressuring Scholz to supply main battle tanks and refrained from any criticism, although from the outset there would have been nothing against Germany having sent Kyiv Leopard 2 to the would have made available.

And now - before the meeting in Ramstein - Berlin is then putting pressure on Washington.

Anger spread in the Biden administration.

frustration and disappointment

Rathke said that Scholz had made it unmistakably clear that he saw a risk in supplying Leopard 2 tanks himself or releasing them for third countries, and that he was not satisfied with sharing the risk with Great Britain, which had decided to supply main battle tanks.

"This is causing frustration and disappointment, especially in the United States, which has made by far the largest and fastest military contribution to the defense of Kiev, while Germany's support measures for Ukraine have, from an American perspective, come about rather hesitantly and only under pressure."

The battle tank dispute has now become a serious crisis in the Western alliance, which has managed to avoid internal divisions since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

The controversy is not only about tactical questions of military aid, but ultimately also about a central strategic question of NATO: Do you trust each other to stand together in case of doubt if Moscow should expand the war?

Rathke went on to say: Germany's attitude is also evidence that Berlin is still a long way from wanting to play the role of a leading European power.

"Bringing Europe together remains an American task."