Germany aims to replace Leopards sent to Ukraine by buying back Swiss tanks

Germany wants to replace the Leopard 2 tanks it has sent to Ukraine by buying back vehicles from Switzerland (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Germany wants to buy mothballed Leopard 2 battle tanks from Switzerland to replace tanks that Berlin and its Western allies are sending to Ukraine, the Swiss government said on Friday.

The Swiss defence ministry said that Germany’s defence and economy ministers wrote on February 23 to Swiss defence minister Viola Amherd, setting out German manufacturer Rheinmetall’s interest in buying Leopard 2 tanks that the Swiss army does not plan to put back into service.