The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, is in favour of providing Ukraine with tanks, including other necessary types of weapons.

"For nearly one year, Russia has pursued a strategy of destruction, a strategy of terror, trying to bomb the Ukrainian people into submission. We see this approach in Bakhmut, in Soledar, and most recently in Dnipro. But Ukrainians are resisting and will continue to fight. We, the EU, will continue to support them for as long as it takes. The time is now, they urgently need more equipment and I am personally in favour of supplying tanks to Ukraine. It is the time to act now," Michel said in his speech in the European Parliament.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also backed tank delivery to Ukraine.

Poland expressed readiness last week to hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine but in a coalition of partners.

The UK was the first to announce the delivery of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.