The Swiss government today approved an application to export 25 Leopard 2 A4 tanks to Germany, but on the condition that they remain in the country and are not shipped outside the EU, the country's federal council said on Wednesday, UNN reports.
The Federal Council has approved an application to export 25 Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks to the original tank manufacturer, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH in Germany, the Swiss government said.
Details
As indicated, in a letter dated February 23, 2023, German Minister of Economy Robert Habeck and German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius requested the resale of a portion of the 87 decommissioned Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks to the tank manufacturer, the German company Rheinmetall.
They assured that the battle tanks would not be transferred to Ukraine. The final stay in Germany or partners from NATO or the EU is guaranteed, the country's Federal Council said.
As noted, Switzerland's export of tanks abroad is regulated by the criteria for approval of the law on military materials. "The export of these tanks to Germany meets these approval criteria. What is particularly important is the fact that Germany has guaranteed that the tanks sold will remain in Germany or with NATO or EU partners to fill their own gaps," the Swiss government said.