MOSCOW

The first batch of Leopard 1 tanks could arrive in Ukraine this spring, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Saturday.

Poulsen told reporters in Copenhagen that he visited the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft company's production facilities "to make sure that the work on the preparation of Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine is progressing."

The minister added that he is "proud" of the "great and important donation" of Denmark and other countries for the sake of "Ukraine's struggle for its freedom."

Poulsen said he expects that the Ukrainian armed forces will receive the first 80 tanks by the end of spring.

The tanks will be used for fighting and for training Ukrainian tankers, he said.