Germany asks Switzerland to sell mothballed Leopard 2 tanks

Germany asks Switzerland to sell mothballed Leopard 2 tanks
# 03 March 2023 13:31 (UTC +04:00)

Germany has asked Switzerland to sell it some of its mothballed Leopard 2 tanks, the Swiss government said on Friday, in a deal that could allow Germany and other countries to increase military aid to Ukraine, APA reports citing Reuters.

Germany wants Switzerland to sell some of the tanks back to manufacturer Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE), which would allow the company to backfill gaps in the armaments of European Union and NATO members.

The Swiss military currently has 134 Leopard 2 tanks in service and a further 96 in storage. The government did not say how many Germany had

requested to buy, but the VSB spokesman said the army had said it would be possible to dispense with a limited number of tanks.

No information was given when the Swiss parliament could decide on the issue, although the government said it would comment further on the issue on Monday.

A spokesperson for the defence ministry in Berlin said he was not immediately able to comment.

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