Germany cannot rule out the supply of Leopard tanks, heavier combat vehicles than the Marder, to support the Ukrainian military in the future, German Economy Minister ARD said, Reuters reports.

“Of course, it cannot be ruled out,” said Robert Habek.

France’s decision to send AMX-10 RC light armored vehicles to Ukraine has led to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition calling again on Berlin to send more modern combat vehicles to Kyiv.

Sara Nanni, the security policy spokeswoman for the Green Party, Scholz’s other Social Democratic partner in the board, in turn said that German military aid to Ukraine should include Marder armored personnel carriers and Leopard tanks.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck said during a visit to Oslo that France’s decision and a possible similar move by the United States, which has already announced it will send Bradley vehicles, could persuade Germany to speed up its own negotiations.

Later on Friday, Germany said it wanted to deliver about 40 Marder combat vehicles to Ukraine by the end of March, a decision Habek called the right and long overdue decision.

According to a survey commissioned by DPA news, 45% of Germans oppose the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, which are considered the top of the country’s military equipment, despite a clear request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. agency.