03:34Russia: Moscow not negotiating with Berlin on possible Leopard tank deliveries to Ukraine - Peskov
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov confirmed that there has been no discussion between the Kremlin and Berlin on the issue of the provision of German tanks to Ukraine, during a press briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
In addition, Peskov also called the plan to supply US-made Abrams tanks to Ukraine "quite a failure" from a technological perspective.
"I am convinced that many experts understand the absurdity of this idea as well. It's just that from a technological perspective, this plan is quite a failure. And most importantly it is a clear overestimation of the potential it brings to Ukraine's armed forces," Peskov told the reporters.
On Wednesday, the German government approved the decision to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks, from the Bundeswehr’s surplus to Ukraine.
"This decision comes from our well-known position to support Ukraine to the best of our ability. We are acting in close coordination and in synchronisation at the international level," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
According to media reports, the US intends to transfer Abrams tanks to Kiev following Germany’s announcement, however, the Pentagon had previously argued that such equipment was not suitable for Ukraine due to high fuel consumption and extensive logistical issues.
Moscow launched the military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
03:34Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov confirmed that there has been no discussion between the Kremlin and Berlin on the issue of the provision of German tanks to Ukraine, during a press briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
In addition, Peskov also called the plan to supply US-made Abrams tanks to Ukraine "quite a failure" from a technological perspective.
"I am convinced that many experts understand the absurdity of this idea as well. It's just that from a technological perspective, this plan is quite a failure. And most importantly it is a clear overestimation of the potential it brings to Ukraine's armed forces," Peskov told the reporters.
On Wednesday, the German government approved the decision to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks, from the Bundeswehr’s surplus to Ukraine.
"This decision comes from our well-known position to support Ukraine to the best of our ability. We are acting in close coordination and in synchronisation at the international level," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
According to media reports, the US intends to transfer Abrams tanks to Kiev following Germany’s announcement, however, the Pentagon had previously argued that such equipment was not suitable for Ukraine due to high fuel consumption and extensive logistical issues.
Moscow launched the military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.