Professor Margelletti, why are Leopard and Abrams tanks so important to Zelensky from a military point of view?
“Because the Russian tank fleet represents, in terms of quantity, overwhelming power. Putin’s army has over 10,000 vehicles. So the only way to give Ukraine the opportunity to face the Russians with their invasion of armored vehicles, albeit antiquated, is to focus on modern and highly performing weapons: they can shoot at long ranges with precision and are equipped with very advanced systems of both day and night vision. Such a fleet is more necessary than ever in order not to succumb”.
What do you think of the famous Apocalypse Clock which these days marks 90 seconds to Catastrophe? What does it mean? We are really one step away from the atomic bomb and the third world war.
«I can say that well before the “Catastrophe scientists”, I have been repeating the same thing from the columns of the press for months. The atomic bomb does not represent a fairy-tale and surreal scenario, but a real threat. The chances of meeting each other are very high. Because there are many political risk variables linked to a defeat of the Russians and among these there is, I repeat there is, the use of nuclear devices as happened for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With one difference though: these bombs were used before the political consequences of a destructive totalitarian act like this were understood. Now you would do it knowing these consequences.
Today newspapers around the world are talking about escalation. Can you explain why? What has changed compared to a few days ago? Does the arrival of tanks from the West pave the way for World War III?
«The escalation is in things that have reached this point: the war in Ukraine has become a bulimic monster of unstoppable technology. Right now thanks to the numerical factor the Russians are, hardly certain, but advancing. It is clear that the tanks he requested must be sent to Zelensky. And in a very few weeks Ukrainians will be demanding our Western jets and fighter planes. It is the only way to counter the gigantism of war, albeit ancient, which Putin’s men can take advantage of”.