Peskov: relations between Russia and Germany leave much to be desired

Now the relations between Russia and Germany leave much to be desired, spokesman for the Russian President Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Germany “directly and indirectly” constantly increases the level of its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, he added.

Formerly German magazine Der Spiegel informedthat Germany plans to increase spending on military assistance to Ukraine from 3 billion euros to more than 15 billion euros in the coming years. In this regard, journalists asked Peskov how the Kremlin reacted to this and whether this could have consequences for Russian-German relations.

“In general, these relations now leave much to be desired. Germany takes an active part in arming Ukraine, in pumping weapons into Ukraine. Germany directly and indirectly constantly increases the level of its involvement in this conflict. Therefore, of course, such actions do not bode well,” the Kremlin spokesman commented.

The day before, March 27, Der Spiegel informedthat Germany delivered to Ukraine the previously promised 18 of its Leopard 2 tanks. As noted by the publication, citing sources, the last tanks were sent from Germany last week and have already arrived in Ukraine. In addition to tanks, the Armed Forces of Ukraine also received about 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

The deliveries of 18 German and three Portuguese Leopard 2 tanks by the end of March were previously announced by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Initially, at the end of January, Germany announced the delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv.

Poland, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Canada and the Netherlands also announced plans to transfer tanks to Kyiv. In addition, the UK announced the shipment of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, and the US – M1 Abrams.

The Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized the supply of Western weapons to Kyiv. In particular, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, warned that pumping Ukraine with weapons brings NATO closer to the dangerous line of a direct military clash with Russia. The Kremlin said that the Leopard and Abrams tanks would burn down the same way as the rest of Western military equipment. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stressed that tanks would not save Ukraine, and State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin predicted the fate of the fascist Tigers for them.