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Germany has now received Poland's official request to re-export Leopard tanks to Ukraine, Polish defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Tuesday. Follow FRANCE 24's liveblog for all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).
10:15am: Germany says allies can start training Ukrainians to use Leopard tanks
Germany's defence minister said Tuesday that allies could start training Ukrainian forces on using Leopard tanks, even though a decision is still pending from Berlin on whether to allow delivery of the armaments to Kyiv.
"I have expressly encouraged partner countries that have Leopard tanks that are ready for deployment to train Ukrainian forces on these tanks," said Boris Pistorius.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the "clear message" from Pistorius, "because after a decision has been taken on the delivery on battle tanks, it will take some time to identify, to make them ready and to train Ukrainian" soldiers to use them.
10:05am: No indications Putin has changed his goals on Ukraine, NATO's Stoltenberg says
Western allies must provide Ukraine with heavier weapons to repel Russia's invasion as Moscow has shown no signs of changing course, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday.
"We have no indication that President (Vladimir) Putin has changed his goals… The only way to lasting peace is to make it clear to Putin that he will not win on the battlefield. Therefore, we must provide heavier and more advanced systems," Stoltenberg said during a visit to Berlin.
9:42am: Germany says no decision yet on Leopard tanks for Ukraine
Germany will help Ukraine to win the war against Russia, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Tuesday, adding however that a decision has yet to be made on whether Berlin would supply Leopard tanks to Kyiv.
"We are supporting Ukraine not to lose this war, to win it against Russia," Pistorius said in an interview with the broadcaster ZDF. "And to that end, Germany is doing more than practically any other ally except the US," he said.
Asked when Germany was planning to make a decision on German-made Leopard tanks long sought by Kyiv, Pistorius said it was not up to him. "This decision will be made in the chancellery," he said.
8:56am: Ukrainian deputy defence minister resigns, citing 'baseless' corruption allegations
Ukraine's deputy defence minister responsible for supplying troops with food and equipment resigned on Tuesday morning, citing "media accusations" of corruption that he and the ministry say are baseless.
A statement on the defence ministry's website said that Vyacheslav Shapovalov's resignation was "a worthy deed" that would help retain trust in the ministry.
8:35am: Finland must consider joining NATO without Sweden, Finnish FM says
Finland must consider joining NATO without Sweden, the Finnish foreign minister said Tuesday, after Turkey indicated it would not approve Sweden's bid following a burning of the Koran outside its Stockholm embassy.
"We have to assess the situation, whether something has happened that in the longer term would prevent Sweden from going ahead," Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said, adding that it was "too early to take a position on that now" and that a joint application remains the "first option".
4:35am: Ukraine sanctions 22 associated with Russian Orthodox Church
Ukraine has imposed sanctions on 22 Russians associated with the Russian Orthodox Church for what President Volodymyr Zelensky said was their support of genocide under the cloak of religion.
According to a decree issued by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the list includes Mikhail Gundayev, who represents the Russian Orthodox Church in the World Council of Churches and other international organizations in Geneva. Russian state media reported that Gundayev is a nephew of the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, whom Ukraine sanctioned last year.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
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