The group also has 22 more Leopard 2A4s that will take almost a year to refurbish, so they could be delivered in late 2023 or early 2024, the spokesman added.

At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, several EU foreign ministers increased the pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to deliver Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine or at least agree to the delivery of Leopard tanks by other countries. Poland has already announced that it will apply to the federal government for approval to supply its own Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine, but if necessary to supply them without Germany's consent.