Combining with the anticipated JEF+Poland MBT's for a brigade announcement it would be very helpful if US would provide more long range weaponry eg self propelled artillery and MLRS with IFV/APC/other vehicles. A mech brigade needs a lot of those as well.

Serbia distancing itself from Russia….

"For us, Crimea is Ukraine, Donbas is Ukraine — and it’ll remain so", Serbia's president Vucic says.

​​​​​​​https://t.co/kzI963lHPA

I remember some decades ago being in Germany, and seeing signs as one crossed various bridges.
I asked an Army friend about thatm.
He told me that the number was an indication of how heavy of a vehicle could go cross it.
His follow up was along the lines of "... this has to do with all of the tanks rumbling around in VIIth Corps on exercises, and if there is a war.
You need to know which bridges can hold the biggest vehicles, and which will not. You can render a supply/logistics/reinvorcement route closed if the bridge goes down"

Which leads me to this: if you want to roll the heavy armor into Ukraine, which bridges can't or won't hold up to them?
(Beyond that General Mud appears to be another problem for maneuver units in Ukraine, or it will be when the spring thaw hits)
This line of thinking has informed some of why the US Marines have finally divested themselves of the Abrams tanks. In a lot of the places where they expect to operation, the bridges can't handle that big, magnificent beast.

That's more significant than it may seem for some. Serbia has had a close relationship with Russia for a couple of centuries. For them to effectively sever that long-standing tie and declare support for Ukraine is unexpected. Not least because it implies a possible break away from the Russian dominated Orthodox Church. Perhaps the growing affiliation with NATO over the past few years is at the heart of this, together with the strong popular opinion within Serbia that Russia should not have invaded Ukraine. The latter point may well be influenced by attitudes towards Kosovo, although Russia has long supported Serbia's position with regard to Kosovo.

I am confident this is the reason UK is sending bridging vehicles with those 12-14 Challys. It was actually something that caught my attention in the Ben Wallace speech announcing the delivery. Recovery vehicle also mentioned.

Must add that Finland is very much infested with rivers and swamps, the land of thousand lakes as the saying goes, but the "heavy" Leos do their job just fine. Of course, if those are driven to the mud/swamp without any competence those will be stuck as well as any other MBT. Training plays a role there.

BREAKING: The US is expected to announce one of its largest military aid packages for Ukraine in the coming days, according to two US officials - CNN

No further details on what weaponry will be included.

A personal feeling is that when the various aid packages are announced why on earth do they contain what is being given and sometimes when. Surely it is giving a heads up to the aggressor.
Why not leave it as X amount, expressed in USD, GBP or Euro and let the other side try and fathom out what may be coming there way - it is about time no weaponry details are included.

Germany says nein to Leopard's unless the US sends Abram's. UK's challenger 2's are insufficient for them to change their mind.

Twitter

Heavy Armor will arrive in Ukraine by rail. The location of the fighting is at least 500 miles from the Polish border so it would have to be loaded on trains anyway.
Keep in mind that Poland had to upgrade any marginal bridges on main routes as a part of joining NATO.

Fine. Someone push an Abrams cross the border to Ukraine and Leos are good to go. We know the U.S. has them in Europe.

Germany sells its tanks to the whole of europe:E$$$$, abit like russian gas. Economic elbow pushing. Trump like even. somethings not right.
what they gona do if finland and spain just fly them in, like the javelins...close the airspace.
It does feel like those weeks before the 24th of feb when stuff could be seen coming, hence the NLAW & jav trigger was pulled.
The British leading the way again. only we dont have 1000s of tanks. so 14 it is.

Can someone explain to me in simple terms why Germany is so reluctant to export armour and weapons to Ukraine?
Is it fear of Russian retaliation, historical precedents, domestic politics, or all three?
From an uninformed point of view it looks disgraceful...

This is amusing: :E
Ukraine Reclassifies U.S. Tanks as "Recreational Vehicles" to Skirt Restrictions (motortrend.com)

Quote:

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Ukraine Reclassifies U.S. Tanks as "Recreational Vehicles" to Skirt Restrictions

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The question is: Why is Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, reluctant to export armor (or to allow German made armor to be sent to Ukraine)?

I believe it is because many Germans want to get the US and US influence out of Europe, and want closer bonds with Russia, and Scholz is one of those Germans.
But that is only my mostly uninformed opinion.

More uninformed opinion warning. I do not think it is to remove the US influence, so much, (unless you are Russian at heart) but rather the experience of having their country ripped in two at the end of WW2.

If you were faced with a) Russia on your doorstep as an enemy or b) Russia as a friend, (or benign/neutral entity), which would you choose? You do not have to love the Russians, but you might want to avoid triggering off what happened last time around. Russia feels naked and defenceless against Europe, true, but by the same token Germany is open to the same vulnerability, much closer and more immediate than somewhere like France or the UK.

From the New York Times today:

Sweden chips in significantly, the Archers are being sent to Ukraine. If one is not acquaintant with the fastest self propelled howitzer yet, see the video underneath, very nice combination of mobility and firepower, and if required the fire rate is down to 7,5sec per round and its gone before first round hits the target. These go along very nicely with Leos :E

Germany has lost a war and surrendered unconditional. Arms and arms exports are strictly regulated and limited by law and need highest level permits. This was implemented by the Allies after the war.

I think it is more along the lines of this article from france24. I think the SPD still has strings that go back to Schroeder and the oil and gas companies of Russia.

From FRANCE24
More than 50 years after Brandt launched his “Ostpolitik” initiative, it’s now being used as an excuse for what Germans call a “Putinversteher” – which literally translates as “Putin understander”. The term is a pejorative reference to politicians, who insist the Russian leader’s expansionist interests are justified, as well as anti-American pundits pushing back against Washington’s calls for Germany’s energy security.

“There are dense networks of money, influence and politics between the SPD and Russia. They hang out in the board rooms of energy companies, trying to build solidarity with Russia while just raking in the money,” explained Nick Spicer, FRANCE 24’s Berlin correspondent. “The question is whether Scholz is going to call out his former SPD colleague.”

Perhaps Scholz needs the support of these networks to stay in power?

“Putinversteher!”
I doubt anybody is ever going to come up with a more accurate and succinct explanation for tartare's question than this single word.

Not very likely as he cut the russian gas supplies already and moved elsewhere. Pretty bizarre mix of assumptions and ressentiments.