Ukraine and Poland may receive a large batch of decommissioned Israeli Merkava tanks.
This was reported by the Israeli publication Walla, citing an unnamed Polish military expert.
What is known about the supply of Israeli tanks to Ukraine and Poland
As the Israeli publication Yedioth Ahronoth previously reported, Israel is currently negotiating with two countries on the supply of about two hundred decommissioned Merkava tanks of the 2nd and 3rd generations, produced in the 80s and 90s.
Subsequently, information about the negotiations was confirmed by the head of the defense export department of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Yair Kulas.
Kulas did not specify which countries are being negotiated with, but noted that one of them is in continental Europe.
According to sources, we are talking about two Eastern European states. An unnamed Polish military expert, in a conversation with the publication, suggested that the tanks are intended for Ukraine and Poland.
According to the expert, decommissioned tanks can be modernized in Israel or in cooperation with Polish defense enterprises that have the appropriate competencies.
Ukraine has tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, but is preparing for an ongoing war and is already trying to gather forces for the end of 2024. – noted the expert.
According to the publication, negotiations on the supply of tanks could have been started by Israel due to ongoing pressure from the United States, insisting on the need to provide assistance to Ukraine, including military assistance.
Until now, Israel has refrained from supplying weapons to Ukraine, limiting itself to humanitarian aid.
The publication’s source in Israeli military circles confirmed that negotiations on the supply of tanks are underway with two European states, emphasizing that it is too early to talk about concluding a deal.
The Merkava main battle tank has been produced in Israel since 1979. Now the Israeli army is in service with the 4th generation of these tanks.
