BERLIN/WARSAW (dpa-AFX) - The debate about a delivery of Western battle tanks to Ukraine is gaining momentum: Following corresponding calls by German members of parliament, the Polish government is now also suggesting a broad coalition of several countries to hand over more modern tanks, such as the German Leopard.

"Of course, we could theoretically act individually, but here we need broader NATO cooperation because we also need to maintain our defense capability," Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski told Polish public radio on Monday. Jakub Kumoch, security adviser to President Andrzej Duda, told Radio Zet: "The matter is in flux." He said his country would not do anything on its own.

Britain is also considering a delivery of battle tanks, according to a report on the Sky News TV channel. According to the report, up to ten Challenger 2 vehicles could go to the country to defend against Russian attacks, the broadcaster reported Monday. According to the report, corresponding discussions have been underway for weeks. Such a move would also encourage other states to supply battle tanks, Sky News quoted a "Ukrainian source." The Challenger 2 is comparable to the German Leopard main battle tank, the American Abrams or the French Leclerc.

Following the U.S.-German decision to supply infantry fighting vehicles, there had been calls from politicians from the Green Party and the FDP, as well as the opposition CDU/CSU, for Ukraine to also receive the Leopard main battle tank. Green Vice Chancellor and German Economy Minister Robert Habeck let it be known on Sunday evening that a delivery of Leopard 1 or Leopard 2 tanks is not ruled out in principle. "We always check the situation, we coordinate with the other countries. And within this corridor, further decisions are also made. That is: No, it is of course not excluded," Habeck said in the ARD program "Report from Berlin."

In battles between armored units, main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles and their crews operate together and complement each other's capabilities. The German government had agreed to provide Ukraine with 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Main battle tanks are significantly more heavily armed and more powerful than infantry fighting vehicles.

More than 3,600 of the Leopard 2 main battle tank have been built, including more than 2,000 in the now older Leopard 2A4 version. They are used in numerous countries. Possible European partners in a joint delivery could include Finland and Spain as well as Poland. The German defense company Rheinmetall had also offered deliveries in the past. The Bundeswehr itself has a target inventory of 320 Leopard 2A7V main battle tanks for 2025, but has itself surrendered all older models such as the 2A4 version.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit made it clear Monday that Germany will not change course on main battle tanks for the time being. "At this point in time, the German government has no ambition to supply Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine on its part. We have just made a very far-reaching decision, in close consultation with our American and French friends, to supply infantry fighting vehicles now," he said. Further decisions would have to be discussed.

At its closed-door meeting on Monday, the SPD leadership clearly backed Chancellor Olaf Scholz's course on arms deliveries to Ukraine. "We as the SPD leadership fully support the Chancellor's course," party leader Lars Klingbeil said. He added that this also applied to the decision to supply the Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Klingbeil did not comment on the issue of supplying main battle tanks. The SPD is considered the most skeptical of the three coalition parties regarding the delivery of new-quality weapons to Ukraine.

It remained unclear exactly from which stocks Germany will supply the announced Marder infantry fighting vehicles. A delivery from the Bundeswehr was under consideration. However, just before Christmas, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) had practically ruled out a transfer of Bundeswehr infantry fighting vehicles. She had been asked on Deutschlandfunk radio whether the decision, taken because of breakdowns, to now keep the older Marder instead of the Puma tank on standby for a NATO mission meant that Ukraine could not hope to get Marder. "We wouldn't have given up any Marder from the Bundeswehr anyway. We need those," she said. Hebestreit said Monday that the German Defense Ministry "was closely involved already in the decision-making of the chancellor."/cn/DP/jha