and that s because there are more than 2000 leopard tanks across europe, and all of these countries can help with spare parts and with support. that s why germany s decision today is so significant, because as the manufacturer of the leopard 2, germany retains the right to decide if all of these countries with the tanks can pass them on to ukraine. today it has granted that permission, and this analyst says the decision could really count. an armoured brigade of 100 tanks, supported by 100 infantry fighting vehicles and artillery support, is incredibly significant. and what it does is it basically allows the ukrainians, if you imagine that as the spearhead in one place of attack, if that s going to be in donetsk, for example, or maybe around zaporizhzhia, that is the spearhead unit that would punch through. now, these possibilities become available to ukraine as the better weather of spring approaches. these tanks deepen the west s commitment to the war that putin started.
a real threat, as well. so we, like the rest of the city, we will stay down here and wait to hear more. that s james waterhouse. the strikes come as uk prime minister rishi sunak said britain would send tanks to ukraine along with additional artillery support, during a phone call with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky. for more on that, here s our political correspondent david wallace lockhart the two leaders have spoken this morning and we ve got a read out from downing street with a spokesperson saying that they spoke about the success of ukrainian victories, and agreed that now was the time to seize the moment with an acceleration of global military and diplomatic support to ukraine. part of that from downing street will be sending challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems. my understanding is we re talking about around a dozen tanks being sent to ukraine. but if we think back to when this conflict was beginning, there was a big stress on the uk
ambition to send tanks to ukraine along with additional artillery support. he discussed this during a phone call with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky. for more on that, let s speak to our political correspondent david wallace lockhart. david, what more do we know that the details around all this? so david, what more do we know that the details around all this? 50 i david, what more do we know that the details around all this? details around all this? so i don t think this comes details around all this? so i don t think this comes as details around all this? so i don t think this comes as a details around all this? so i don t think this comes as a particularly | think this comes as a particularly big surprise. downing street this week were talking about the design and government to send more support to ukraine and specifically talking about how tanks could be a part of that but the two leaders have spoken this morning and we ve got a readout from downing street with eight
capable missile and rocket systems. the deputy assistant defense secretary laura cooper said on friday they are positioning ukraine to be able to move forward and retake territory. is this meant to give them more of an offensive rather than defensive capability? what you re seeing is across the board support. they re sending patriot which is an air defense weapon and it will help protect ukrainian cities from russian missiles, you re also seeing these armored vehicles, not only from the united states but also nato allies, bradleys, wide variety of others, m 113s, mraps and also a lot of artillery support. additional artillery systems, the m-109, 105, more ammunition, more kinds of rounds. so a wide ma right of support that will not only enhance their offensive capabilities but also help their defense. tell us about the timing here
industrialized country. it has its own defense industry and it can produce weapons like this. so the cure on this is get them what the military assistance they need to push russia out as rapidly as possible. do you believe ukraine strikes within russian territory actually make western allies, and you re the former nato supreme allied commander, make western allies nervous? oh, sure. of course they re nervous. i mean the western allies and the united states just want this to be over. and if it can t be over, they want it contained. and president macron and president biden agree that the condition for ending it is russia has to leave. and so the ideal way to do it is for ukrainian forces to attack on the ground with air support, artillery support, and force russia entirely out of ukraine, including crimea. but war seldom unfolds like