The German government’s decision this Wednesday to authorize the sending of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine was immediately criticized by the Russian ambassador in Berlin. Sergey Nechaev accused Germany of taking the war to a new level of confrontation and abdicating its responsibilities in World War II (1939-1945).
“Berlin’s decision means the final withdrawal of the Federal Republic of Germany from acknowledging historical responsibility to our people for the terrible crimes of Nazism during the Great Patriotic War that have not been prescribed,” the diplomat said. in a communique.
Nechaev considered that Berlin puts aside the “difficult path of reconciliation between Russians and Germans in the post-war period”..
According to the Russian ambassador, this is an “extremely dangerous decision” that takes the war to “a new level of confrontation and contradicts the statements of German politicians” about the intention not to get involved in the conflict.
“We are convinced again that Germany, like its close allies, is not interested in a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine, it is ready to continue to escalate it and endlessly fill the regime in Kiev with increasingly lethal weapons. ” quoted by EFE.
The Kremlin (Russian presidency) had already warned on Tuesday that sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine would affect relations between Russia and Germany.
“These relations are already at a very low point and there is no substantive dialogue with Germany or with other NATO countries,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
Peskov added that sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine did not bode well for relations between the two countries and would “inevitably leave a mark” on future ties.
Germany sends 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
Germany authorized the sending of German-made “Leopard 2” tanks for the Ukrainian army to fight the Russian invasion and approved requests from other countries to the same effect, the spokesman for the Berlin executive said.
“This decision follows our well-known line of support to Ukraine in the best possible way. We act internationally in a very coordinated way,” stated the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, quoted by Hebestreit.
In a statement, the German government said it will initially deliver 14 of its ‘Leopard 2 A6’ tanks to Ukraine. Germany and its allies are expected to supply the Ukrainian army with a total of 88 tanks.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 last year, sparking a war that continues with no prospect of an agreement to suspend fighting.
Without being directly involved in the fighting, Kiev’s Western allies have been supplying Ukrainian forces with weapons.
In addition to the destruction of infrastructure in Ukraine, the war has produced casualties on both sides that have yet to be counted, but which various sources, including the UN, admit are many.
Source: DN
