BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - After weeks of back and forth, the German government has decided to supply Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine. Other countries will also be allowed to give such tanks to Kiev. The Deutsche Presse-Agentur learned this from coalition circles in Berlin on Tuesday. Earlier, "Spiegel" and ntv had reported about it.

Ukraine has been asking for Western-designed battle tanks for months to fight Russian attackers. The front line in eastern Ukraine has barely moved for weeks. With the battle tanks, Ukraine hopes to get back on the offensive and recapture more terrain. At the same time, Russia is feared to launch an offensive in the spring.

Warsaw had earlier on Tuesday submitted an official export application to the German government requesting approval for the delivery of the German-made Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine - putting Berlin under concrete pressure to act.

As a manufacturing country, Germany plays a key role in the Leopard supply issue. When military equipment is sold to other countries, so-called end-use clauses are always built into the contracts. These stipulate that the German government must approve any transfer to third countries. A government spokesman had said on Tuesday, the request of the Polish government "with due urgency" want to examine.

Scholz has been criticized for weeks on the issue of Leopard deliveries - he is accused of being too hesitant. There was also displeasure within his own coalition. The government justified its action among other things with the risk of escalation and the necessary international coordination.

Poland has been putting pressure on Germany for some time in the discussion about the delivery of battle tanks. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had said on Monday that if necessary, action would be taken without Berlin's approval, which would have risked a diplomatic éclat for Poland.

Poland wants to form a European coalition to supply battle tanks. Initially, only Great Britain had agreed to supply Challenger 2 battle tanks. Of the 14 European states that have Leopard tanks, apart from Poland only Finland has so far publicly signaled its willingness to deliver some examples./toz/DP/nas