Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that Germany will not send fighter jets to Ukraine, while Kyiv continues to ask Western countries for weapons to counter the Russian invasion, AFP reported.

After weeks of hesitation, Berlin decided on Wednesday to send 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other European countries to supply the same tanks to Kyiv.

When asked by the Tagesspiegel newspaper on Sunday about Kyiv’s request to receive fighter jets, Olaf Scholz replied: “The issue of fighter jets does not even arise. I can only advise us not to engage in a permanent bidding war when it comes to weapons systems.”

“If, after the decision (regarding tanks) in Germany, a new debate starts” about something else, “this is not serious and undermines the confidence of citizens in the government’s decisions,” he added, according to Agerpres.

The decision to send German tanks to Ukraine was accompanied by a similar decision by the US to supply the Ukrainian army with Abrams tanks. President Zelensky thanked Berlin and Washington, but immediately demanded more weapons, including fighter jets and long-range missiles.

In an interview, Chancellor Scholz again warns about the “risk of escalation” in relations with Moscow.

“There is no war between NATO and Russia. We will not allow such an escalation,” he said.

He considers it necessary to continue negotiations with President Putin, their last conversation took place in early December.

“I will talk to Putin again on the phone,” Scholz said, without specifying a date.

“But, of course, it is also clear that as long as Russia continues the war, relentlessly attacking (Ukraine), the current situation will not change,” said the head of the German executive.

Read here the most important information from 341st day of the war in Ukraine