The Kremlin warned on Friday that Western tanks would make little difference to Ukraine’s military conflict as Western powers discuss a new military aid package for Kiev. The Ukraine Contact Group meets at the US Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany, to coordinate continued military aid to Ukraine.
“One should not exaggerate the importance” of this military aid “for the ability to change something,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“This will increase Ukraine’s problems, but it will not change anything.regarding Russian progress in achieving its goals, he defended.
The West has a “dramatic illusion” that Ukraine can win on the battlefield against Russia, Peskov said. to journalists.
“We see a clinging to the dramatic illusion about the possibility of Ukraine succeeding on the battlefield,” the Kremlin spokesman said, referring to Western countries. He added that the conflict was developing “in an upward spiral”.
The Kremlin spokesman also said there is “a direct and indirect involvement of NATO countries[no conflito]”.
Peskov added that relations between Moscow and Washington are at their “lowest historical level” and that he sees no “hope” that they will improve “in the near future”.
Zelensky urges allies to speed up arms delivery to Kiev
The Kremlin’s position was revealed on the day Ukraine’s president urged his allies to speed up arms deliveries to Kiev as his country faces an attack from Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky’s call was made during his intervention, via video conference, at the meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine, founded and led by the US, which includes about 50 countries.
Speaking at the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Zelensky said military aid from the Allies “could stop the evil in Russia,” citing in particular the supply of tanks to help combat Russian forces.
Zelensky asked “not to negotiate the amount of tanks, but to start with this important delivery going to evil.”
Orders from Kiev are mainly concentrated on Leopard 2 tanks, manufactured in Germany.
Opening the meeting in Ramstein, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Western allies should increase their military aid to Ukraine “at a decisive moment” for the country.
“The Ukrainian people are watching us, the Kremlin is watching us and history is watching us,” he added.
Earlier, the Ukrainian president took to social media to thank his American counterpart, Joe Biden, for the new $2.5 billion aid package, emphasizing that it is “important support” to fight the Russian armed forces.
Thank U.S. President for Providing Another Strong $2.5 Billion Defense Assistance Package to Ukraine Zelensky wrote in a message he distributed on Twitter.
The air defense systems Stryker, Bradley and Avenger “are an important tool in our fight against the aggressor,” he added.
The US Department of Defense said in a statement that it would send 59 Bradley tanks, 590 TOW anti-tank missiles and 295,000 25mm ammunition to Kiev.
Washington will supply Ukraine eight Avenger anti-aircraft systems, 350 Humvee vehicles, 20,000 155-millimeter artillery pieces and 90 Stryker armored vehicles, 20 of which are equipped with demining equipment.
The package also includes HARM missiles, air-to-surface, used to destroy anti-aircraft systems, two thousand anti-armour artillery missiles and three million ammunition for light weapons.
Source: DN
