US and European donations of tanks to Ukraine will bring “more suffering” to the country and “more tension to the continent,” a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, more weapons from NATO bring more suffering for people in Ukraine. It also brings more tension to the continent. But it cannot prevent Russia from reaching our goals,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN.
His comments come as Germany’s parliament on Wednesday prepares to debate the contentious issue of possibly sending German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US officials familiar with the negotiations said the Biden administration is finalizing plans to send approximately 30 US-made Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
Strained relations: On Tuesday, Peskov said any approval from Berlin of tank deliveries to Ukraine would inevitably affect relations between Russia and Germany, which are already at a “fairly low point.”
“Of course, such deliveries do not bode well for the future of relations. They will leave an imminent trace,” Peskov added during a regular press briefing.
