Poland can send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine even without German re-export approval, Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski said before a crucial arms meeting for Kiev, Reuters reported.

Warsaw and other NATO allies are urging Germany to give the go-ahead to send German-made tanks to Ukraine.

The issue looks set to dominate talks between Western allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday.

“Consent is a secondary issue here,” Morawiecki told Poland’s public radio broadcaster whilst returning from Davos, where he was attending the World Economic Forum. 

“We will either get this agreement quickly, or we will do the right thing ourselves,” the Prime Minister added.

Germany did not want to send heavy offensive weapons, which could be perceived as escalating the conflict in Ukraine, and has so far refused to allow its allies to re-export Leopard 2 tanks.

Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also said that Warsaw may send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as part of a broader coalition if Germany does not give its consent.