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Russian President’s Press Secretary: Aiding Ukrainian main battle tanks will not change the outcome of the conflict
Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on the 9th that Western countries’ assistance to Ukraine with main battle tanks and other weapons will not change the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
There are still differences among some Western countries on whether to provide the “Leopard” main battle tank to Ukraine.
Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Peskov as saying that Russia is not worried that the West may deliver more advanced military equipment to Ukraine. “In principle, the delivery of these (weapons) cannot and will not change anything in Ukraine … and will not prevent (Russia) from achieving the goals of special military operations.”
This is the Kremlin taken in Moscow, capital of Russia, on January 6.Published by Xinhua News Agency (photo by Alexander)
According to the Deutsche Presse Agency, Peskov made the above remarks in the background that Poland expressed its hope to form a broad alliance with other Western countries to discuss providing Ukraine with more modern weapons and equipment such as the “Leopard” main battle tank.
The Associated Press said that Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and some ministers on the 9th to discuss security issues related to the Ukraine crisis, including Ukraine’s request for assistance with heavy tanks.
Jacek Szevila, a senior Polish national security official, said after the meeting that Poland has made decisions on current and future support to Ukraine, but he did not provide any details.
On September 10, 2014, a “Leopard” tank of the Belgian Army fired at the NATO Serre military base.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Xiaojun
Poland’s head of the presidential office, Pawel Shrot, said earlier on the 9th that Poland could decide to hand over a “limited number” of Leopard tanks only after extensive consultations and consensus with other countries equipped with “Leopard” tanks , this decision also needs to consider Poland’s national security.
After Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 last year, Western countries imposed economic sanctions on Russia and provided Ukraine with a large amount of weapons and equipment.
On the 4th of this month, France promised to provide Ukraine with wheeled armored reconnaissance vehicles equipped with 105mm artillery. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a phone call with US President Joseph Biden on the 5th, and the two countries subsequently announced a new batch of military aid to Ukraine: the United States will provide Ukraine and its surrounding NATO “East Wing” countries with a total amount of Up to 3.75 billion U.S. dollars in military aid, Germany will provide Ukraine with 40 “Weasel” infantry fighting vehicles.
On October 26, 2022, in Paris, France, French President Emmanuel Macron (right) greeted German Chancellor Scholz at the Elysee Palace, the presidential palace.Published by Xinhua News Agency (photo by Ritter Ess)
However, the German political circle has different opinions on whether to provide Ukraine with the “Leopard” main battle tank.
Scholz believes that Germany should not provide Ukraine with heavy weapons alone, and he will consult with NATO allies. Lars Klingberg, co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party to which Scholz belongs, said in an interview on the 7th that he has concerns about whether to provide the Ukrainian side with the “Leopard” main battle tank. Rolf Mitzenich, chairman of the party’s Bundestag group, said in an interview, however, that he supported supplying Ukraine with more tanks. The Green Party and the Free Democrats, which are in coalition with the Social Democratic Party, believe that Germany should provide Ukraine with more advanced heavy weapons.
Scholz said on the 9th that he still believed in the need to coordinate arms deliveries to Ukraine with allies. “Germany will not fight alone,” he said, “Germany will always remain united with its allies… In such a dangerous situation, any other approach is irresponsible.” (Liu Xi)