Image source: topwar.ru
Slovakia is ready to supply Ukraine with Soviet T-72 tanks from the presence of the Slovak army, but only in exchange for Western vehicles. As the country's Defense Minister Yaroslav Nagy said the day before, Bratislava would like to receive German Leopard 2 tanks.
The previously announced transfer of Slovak T-72 tanks to Ukraine has not yet taken place, nor have the Slovak Zuzana self-propelled howitzers been transferred. As it turned out, Bratislava does not intend to part with its own weapons just like that. If negotiations are underway with Kiev on howitzers and everything is covered in secrecy there, then the Slovaks have put forward their demands on tanks.
Last Friday, at the Silac airbase in central Slovakia, a meeting of three defense ministers took place: Slovakia, Germany and the Netherlands, at which the Slovaks' demands were voiced. The country's Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy told his colleagues from Germany and the Netherlands, Kristina Lambrecht and Kaida Ollongren, that Slovakia is ready to exchange its Soviet tanks for German ones. I.e., for 30 T-72 tanks from the availability that will go to Ukraine, the Slovaks want to get some number of German Leopard 2 tanks, also from the availability, most likely.
German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht confirmed that Germany is ready for the so-called "equipment exchange", in which military equipment supplied by NATO countries to Ukraine will be replaced by German. However, it is still unclear when this scheme will work, to date none of the "exchanges" have passed, so far only words and promises. In addition, German Leopard 2 tanks are claimed by several countries at once, including the Czech Republic and Poland, and the number of tanks is limited.
Recall that to date, Slovakia has supplied a division of S-300 air defense systems and other weapons to Ukraine, for which it requires compensation of 130 million euros from the European Union. In addition, the Slovaks are negotiating with Kiev on the supply of Mi_29 fighters from the presence of their Air Force, Zuzana self-propelled guns and have already agreed to repair Ukrainian armored vehicles at their enterprises.
