Berlin imposes a condition on the export of German tanks to Ukraine in front of the US – source |
KYIV/BERLIN, 19 january (Reuters) – Germany, USA if it agrees to send its own tanks, it will allow German-made tanks to be sent to Ukraine to help defend against Russia, a Berlin government source told Reuters.
Ukraine begged for new modern Western weapons, especially heavy battle tanks, so it was invaded last February Russia may regain momentum this year after some battlefield success in the second half of 2022 against its forces.
berlin, NATOdeployed in Europe by the allied armies of the and by defense experts Ukraine has the right to veto any decision on the export of Leopard tanks that are most suitable for
An unnamed German government source said that Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been behind closed doors for the past few days USA stressed the situation regarding tanks several times.
USA Karine Jean-Pierre, spokeswoman for President Joe Biden, responded to a question about Germany’s condition:President believes that each country should make its own sovereign decisions about what steps of security assistance and what equipment they can provide to Ukraine.”
Western allies NATOof Russia avoided the risk of a direct confrontation with Ukraine and did not send the most powerful weapons available to Ukraine.
US officials said Biden administration next time Ukraine is expected to approve Canadian-made Stryker armored vehicles for the US military, but is not ready to ship US tanks, including the M1 Abrams.
New German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will receive US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday.
Then on Friday, the defense leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and about 50 countries in Ramstein, Germany Weather In order to protect the security of Russia in Moscow’s base, “special military operation” will be the last of a series of meetings after the occupation.
Ukraine and its allies accuse Moscow of waging an unprovoked war to seize territory and erase the independence of the former Soviet republic and its neighbor. Western countries have continuously supplied Ukraine with weapons.
PRESSURE ON GERMANY
At the meeting to be held on Friday, attention will be focused especially on Germany.
This week, Britain stepped up pressure on Berlin by becoming the first Western country to send tanks, pledging a squadron of its Challengers. Polish President Andrzej Duda said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday that it is important to provide modern tanks and missiles to Ukraine as he fears Russia is preparing for a new attack. Poland and Finland have already said they will send Leopard tanks if Germany allows them.
Ukraine primarily relied on Soviet-era T-72 tank variants.
The German Leopard 2 tank is considered one of the best in the West. The tank weighs more than 60 tons (60,000 kilograms), has a 120 mm smoothbore gun, and can engage targets up to five kilometers (three miles) away.
Ukraine says the tanks will give its troops mobile firepower to take out Russian troops in decisive battles.
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky to the Davos forum video In his speech through the link, he said that in order to prevent Russia’s frequent missile attacks, the West needs tanks and weather supplies of defense systems must arrive and be delivered faster than Moscow can launch attacks.
“of Ukraine weather equipping it with anti-missile defense systems should overcome the next Russian missile attacks,” he said Zelensky said. “Supply of Western tanks Russia must overcome the next invasion of tanks”.
Zelensky’s advisor, Mykhailo Podoliak, tweeted that the time has come for the United States to start supplying Ukraine with ATACMS long-range missiles.
“Long-range missiles will allow Ukraine to effectively destroy Russian logistics in the occupied territories: warehouses in the rear, equipment, command posts… ATACMS time has come. What are we waiting for?” Podoliak asked.
HELICOPTER CRASH
on Wednesday of Ukraine the capital Kyiv nearby child helicopter crashed in the fog near his garden, as a result of Ukraine interior minister including 14 people and one child perished has been
Ukrainian officials have not claimed that the accident was an attack by Russian forces.
Zelensky The Telegram messaging app said the accident was a “terrible tragedy” and “the pain is unimaginable.”
Later in the night, in a video message, Zelensky from the SBU intelligence service crime said that he asked to start his investigation.
The SBU said it was considering several possible causes, including violation of flight rules, technical malfunction and deliberate destruction of the helicopter.
Berlin and Reuters bureau reporting by Andreas Rinke; Written by Grant McCool; Edited by Howard Goller
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-01-19 05:42:30
Source – reuters
Translation“24 HOURS”