German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that he is still convinced of the need to coordinate arms supplies to Ukraine with allied states, his statement was made in the context of increasing pressure on Berlin to send part of its Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, Reuters reports.

Last week, Germany announced the delivery of Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. The announcement came on the same day that the United States promised to receive Bradley fighting vehicles, and a day after a similar announcement by France.

Scholz, who has often stressed the importance of not escalating the conflict in Ukraine or giving Russia reasons to see Germany as a war party, said Western allies had spent “a lot of time preparing, discussing and organizing this.”

Kyiv has also invited heavier combat vehicles, such as Leopard tanks, in a major boost to Western support for Ukraine.

“Anything else would be irresponsible in such a dangerous situation”

“Germany will not act alone,” Scholz said at an event for his center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which has launched a campaign in the Berlin state election.

“Germany will always remain united with its friends and allies… Anything else would be irresponsible in such a dangerous situation,” he added.

Germany has become one of Ukraine’s main military sponsors in response to Russia’s invasion after abandoning the old principle of not sending weapons to conflict zones last year.

But many say Scholz and his party are moving too slowly, waiting for allies to act first, instead of Germany taking responsibility as the closest Western power to Ukraine.

SPD’s coalition partners, the Greens and liberals from the Liberal Democratic Party, have been more vocal in their calls for increased military support for Ukraine.

Germany cannot rule out the supply of Leopard tanks to support the Ukrainian military in the future, Economy Minister Robert Habek (Green Party) said at the weekend.

According to a survey commissioned by the DPA agency, 45% of Germans oppose the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, which are considered the top of the country’s military equipment.

Great Britain is considering the possibility of supplying the Challenger 2 main battle tank of the British army to Ukraine, Sky News reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the situation.