Editing Leopard 2 (section)

=====Spain=====
On 4 June 2022 it was reported that Spain was considering providing 40 of its 53 retired Leopard 2A4 tanks stored in Zaragoza.<ref>{{cite news|title=España, dispuesta a entregar a Ucrania misiles antiaéreos y carros de combate Leopard|trans-title=Spain, ready to deliver anti-aircraft missiles and Leopard tanks to Ukraine|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2022-06-05/espana-dispuesta-a-entregar-a-ucrania-misiles-antiaereos-y-carros-de-combate-leopard.html|access-date=2023-03-24|work=El Pais|last=González|first=Miguel|date=2022-06-05|language=es}}</ref> On 8 June German Chancellor Olaf Scholz denied receiving any formal request from Spain for an export permit for Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news|title=Germany to boost military mission in Lithuania|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys-scholz-pledges-boost-military-mission-lithuania-2022-06-07/2022-08-02/|access-date=2023-03-24|work=Reuters|date=2022-06-08}}</ref> However it was later confirmed on 10 June by the Spanish defense minister they were considering the transfer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spain mulls whether to send high-tech tanks to Ukraine|url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220610-spain-mulls-whether-to-send-high-tech-tanks-to-ukraine|access-date=2023-03-24|work=France24|date=2022-06-10|language=en}}</ref> On 12 June, anonymous government sources told Der Spiegel that the Scholz government blocked any transfer of Leopard tanks to Ukraine, arguing this "would constitute a departure" from an informal NATO decision not to provide Western tanks at that time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Was wurde aus den spanischen Panzerlieferungen?|trans-title=What became of the Spanish tank deliveries?|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/news-olaf-scholz-russland-ukraine-waffenlieferungen-afd-a-10bbf76f-bc59-4d16-ae68-11ba716dacf1|access-date=2023-03-24|work=Der Spiegel|last=Amann|first=Melanie|date=2022-06-10|language=de}}</ref> By 2 August, Spain officially backtracked on its decision, arguing the tanks at Zaragoza were in "deplorable condition" and that it could not send any.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spain says its mothballed German-made tanks in no fit state to send to Ukraine|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-says-its-mothballed-german-made-tanks-no-fit-state-send-ukraine-2022-08-02/|access-date=2023-03-24|work=Reuters|date=2022-08-02}}</ref>

The Spanish government was later reported to be considering to send an unconfirmed number of Spanish Leopard 2E tanks to Ukraine in January 2023 following a meeting of the [[Ukraine Defense Contact Group]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=González|first1=Miguel|title=España se suma al plan europeo para entregar tanques Leopard a Ucrania|trans-title=Spain joins the European plan to deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-01-25/espana-se-suma-al-plan-europeo-para-entregar-tanques-leopard-a-ucrania.html|access-date=2023-01-25|work=El Pais|date=2023-01-25|language=es}}</ref> On 14 February the Spanish defence minister [[Margarita Robles]] confirmed Spain was providing training to 55 Ukrainian tank crew members and technicians on the Leopard 2.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2023-02/ukraine-ueberblick-norwegen-panzer-nato-ramstein-bachmut|title=Norwegen will Panzer liefern, Ramstein-Treffen ohne neue Zusagen|trans-title=Norway wants to deliver tanks, Ramstein meetings without new commitments|newspaper=Die Zeit|language=de|date=2023-02-14|last1=Eydlin|first1=Alexander}}</ref> On 22 February, Robles also confirmed that Spain was in the process of preparing six Leopard 2A4 tanks for delivery to Ukraine by late March or early April.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spain to send six 2A4 Leopard tanks to Ukraine -defence minister|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-send-six-2a4-leopard-tanks-ukraine-defence-minister-2023-02-22/|access-date=2023-02-22|work=Reuters|date=2023-02-22}}</ref> On 5 February 2023, it was reported that at least 11 of the 53 tanks stored at Zaragoza had been drawn out of storage to be refurbished and upgraded to have "the same lethality" as modern versions of the Leopard 2 before being sent to Ukraine. Five were sent to the [[Santa Bárbara Sistemas]] plant in [[Alcalá de Guadaira]] and six had already been moved to Seville for diagnostics and repairs. The Ministry of Defence had not published the contracts for the retrofits out of secrecy. It was unclear however if ammunition would be supplied with the tanks as Spain only has 9 rounds for each of its Leopard 2E tanks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.epe.es/es/internacional/20230205/espana-reforzara-letalidad-tanques-leopard-guerra-ucrania-82519615|title=España reforzará la letalidad de sus tanques Leopard antes de enviarlos a Ucrania|trans-title=Spain will reinforce the lethality of its Leopard tanks before sending them to Ukraine|last=Fernández|first=Juan José|date=2023-02-05|website=el Periódico de España|language=es|access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref> On 23 February Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed during a visit to Kyiv that Spain was sending at least 10 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.<ref name="politico.eu">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/finland-helsinki-russia-ukraine-war-to-send-three-leopard-2-tanks-to-ukraine/|title=Politico: Spain, Finland to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine|date=2023-02-23|access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref>