[TheEpochTimesJanuary192023](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Li Yan) On Thursday (January 19), at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Ukrainian President Zelens Key further put pressure on the West to get enough tanks to fend off a Russian invasion.
The Associated Press reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was speaking with U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. ) at the breakfast meeting held via video link. Zelensky bemoaned the “lack of specific weaponry” and said that to win wars, “we can’t do it with will and morale alone.”
“I would like to thank our partners again for their assistance,” he said through an interpreter at a breakfast organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. On the issue of “tanks,” “we don’t You should hesitate, and you should not compare.”
Zelensky also said air defenses were “our weakness” given Russia’s targeted strikes, including the use of Iranian-made drones, and repeated his call for long-range artillery to be provided to fire on Russian forces in Ukraine.
Former British Prime Minister Johnson, who attended the breakfast meeting, also appealed to Western allies: “Give them tanks, give Vladimir Zelensky anything he needs.”
german tank
Ukraine has been seeking heavier tanks for months, including the American Abrams and the German-made Leopard 2, but Western leaders have been cautious.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz avoided directly responding to a question on whether Germany would supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine during Wednesday’s Davos forum, instead reiterating that Germany is one of Ukraine’s largest suppliers of military equipment, Provide it with air defense systems and armored personnel carriers.
“We will continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary,” Scholz said after speaking at the forum.
Britain announced last week that it would send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, while Poland and the Czech Republic provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Ukrainian forces.
German officials have conveyed their embarrassment at allowing allies to supply German-made Panther tanks unless the United States also supplies Ukraine with Abrams tanks, according to a U.S. official.
Poland and Finland have said they would supply the Panther tanks if Germany lifted its veto, and other countries have said they are ready to do the same.
U.S. officials say the Abrams tank is unsuitable for Ukraine because it uses a turbine engine and uses too much fuel for Kyiv’s strained logistics system to keep supplies on the front lines.
Zelensky used the occasion of the Davos forum to urge allies not to hesitate.
“The supply of air defense systems to Ukraine must outpace a massive Russian missile attack. The supply of Western tanks must outpace another invasion by Russian tanks,” he said via video.
The Ukrainian delegation to Davos has been pushing for more Western aid, including Zelensky’s wife, Olena Zelenska.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine’s Western allies would discuss how to deliver heavier and more advanced weapons this week.
“The main message there will be: more support, more advanced support, heavier weapons and more modern weapons,” Stoltenberg said, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Senior defense officials, including Trump, met in Germany to coordinate more military aid to Ukraine.
The NATO leader added: “This is a fight for our values, it’s a fight for democracy. We’re just going to prove that democracy wins over tyranny and oppression.”
american tank
U.S. Defense Secretary Austin met with newly appointed German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Germany on Thursday, Reuters reported.
On Friday, the pair will convene dozens of allies at the United States‘ Ramstein Air Base in southwestern Germany to pledge weapons to Ukraine.
Germany said the decision on “tanks” was at the top of Pistorius’s agenda, succeeding Christine Lambrecht, who resigned as defense minister this week. Pistorius pledged support for Ukraine, including providing military hardware.
Washington and many Western allies say Germany, which produced thousands of Leopard tanks during the Cold War and exported them to its allies, is the only suitable option to supply Ukraine in “sufficient” numbers.
Germany has been reluctant to supply this offensive weapon that could be seen as escalating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But many Western allies see this as a worry, as there are no signs Russia will give up on its push for Ukraine.
Colin Kahl, the Pentagon’s top policy adviser, said on Wednesday that the Abrams tank was unlikely to be included in Washington’s next massive $2 billion military aid package to Ukraine. The program will center on the Stryker and Bradley armored vehicles.
Ukraine currently relies mostly on Soviet-era variants of the T-72 tank. And western tanks have more effective armor and better guns than Soviet era tanks.
After Ukraine made major progress in its counteroffensive in the second half of 2022, the frontline has largely stalled over the past two months.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Russian mercenary unit Wagner, said on Thursday that his troops had captured the village of Kryshchivka on the outskirts of the Udon city of Bakhmut (Klishchiivka). Kyiv has previously denied that the settlement had fallen. Wagner played a leading role in the fighting near Bakhmut.
Responsible editor: Lin Yan#