“We need these tanks to liberate our cities, towns and everything under Russian occupation,” the diplomat told journalists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday. This is not just an “fixed idea” of the Ukrainians. The German tanks are needed “to save our energy infrastructure, to save the Ukrainians from crime.”
The 41-year-old was convinced that Berlin would provide the heavy battle tanks. “The longer this decision lasts, the more people will die due to the lack of armaments of the Ukrainian army,” Kuleba warned. At the same time, he expressed his gratitude for the arms deliveries so far since the start of the Russian invasion at the end of February. The “big decision” about the German tanks is still pending. “The sooner this decision is taken, the sooner this war will end with victory for Ukraine,” the chief diplomat stressed.
More than ten months after the invasion began, Russia occupies more than 18 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. Ukraine is almost entirely dependent on Western arms supplies. In addition to light weapons and ammunition, Berlin has already supplied heavy self-propelled howitzers and anti-aircraft systems. In addition, the delivery of 40 Marders armored personnel carriers was promised.
(SDA)