(Bloomberg) -- Croatia announced plans to provide Ukraine with dozens of tanks and military vehicles in a deal to modernize the nation’s army that will see it buy new battle tanks from Germany at a reduced price.
The Adriatic country has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion and has provided it with hundreds of millions of euros in assistance. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed an agreement this month on support and cooperation.
Croatia now aims to supply Ukraine with 30 M-84 tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles in exchange for as many as 50 new Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany, the Defense Ministry said in a statement late Monday. It will also supply Kyiv with spare parts and ammunition, according to a letter of intent signed Monday in Berlin by Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius.
The procurement model will help Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, with the transfer of tanks and other equipment starting “very soon,” the ministry said in a statement published on its website.
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