"\nUkraine could have lost more than 100000 soldiers in the battle against the Russian invaders since February last year, according to Norway assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPresident Zelensky on Friday pleaded with western allies to supply Ukraine with modern weapons to push back the heavily equipped Russian troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Norwegian general also called for the rapid delivery of combat tanks to Ukraine, which has so far been held up mainly by Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"If they're going to go on the offensive in the winter, they [Ukrainians] need it fast,\" Kristoffersen added.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSpeaking after a Franco-German summit meeting in Paris, Annalena Baerbock Poland Foreign Minister said Warsaw was yet to make a formal request, despite indicating publicly that they would be willing to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGermany \u201cwill not stand in the way; If we are asked the question, then we will not stand in the way,\" she told journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"We know how important these tanks are and this is why we are discussing this now with our partners,we need to make sure people's lives are saved and Ukraine's territory liberated.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\nBerlin has resisted pressure from Kyiv to send some of its own stocks of the battle tanks to Ukraine, while Poland has announced it is ready to deliver 14 Leopards.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPolish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he was waiting for \"a clear statement\" from Berlin whether countries that have the Leopards can transfer them to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHe also described Germany's refusal to send its own tanks to Ukraine as \"unacceptable.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"Innocent people are dying every day,\" he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of the three Baltic states urged Germany \"to provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\nUkraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday there was \"no alternative\" but for the West to give Ukraine heavy tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\nReports earlier in the week indicated Germany would agree to do so only if the U.S. provided its tanks as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWashington has said providing its Abrams tanks to Ukraine is not feasible, citing difficulties in training and maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to military analysts, the Leopard 2 is probably the best choice of NATO main battle tanks that could be used to equip the Ukrainian army.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOver the years, Germany has sold thousands of them across the world and many of them are currently sitting unused in countries like Poland that want to send them to Ukraine, but haven\u2019t been able to do so because they need German permission to do so.<\/p>\n"
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