Germany on Wednesday approved the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, after weeks of pressure from Kyiv and many allies.

Berlin will provide a company of 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from the Bundeswehr stocks and is also granting approval for other European countries to send tanks from their own stocks to Ukraine, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.

"The aim is to quickly assemble two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine," he said.