Lithuania sends Germany letter of intent on Leopard tank acquisition

Lithuania’s Defence Materiel Agency on July 28 sent the German Defence Ministry a letter of intent on the purchase of Leopard tanks but stressed that it did not yet indicate Lithuania’s final decision to buy the equipment.

“The letter of intent was sent today,” the Defence Ministry told BNS, LRT reports.

According to the ministry, it gives Lithuania the opportunity to receive information about the tanks and to discuss other specific information that will be needed if Vilnius decides to join the German Defense Ministry’s contract with Leopard manufacturers.

“The statement of intent is not a legal commitment, but the German Defence Ministry will rely on the parties’ intentions in determining the total demand for new tanks in negotiations with the manufacturers,” the ministry said.

Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas announced at the beginning of the week Lithuania’s plans to buy Leopard tanks. He said Lithuania was choosing between several manufacturers but settled on the German model because it “best meets the country’s operational requirements”.

Anušauskas was later criticised by President Gitanas Nausėda and other politicians who said that the defence minister shared information that was allegedly of restricted use and that no decision on a concrete model has been made yet.