Despite Germany’s reluctance to supply heavy tanks, Western countries are increasing arms supplies to Ukraine, demonstrating confidence in Kyiv’s chances of victory, AFP reports.

Supporters of Ukraine have warned for months that the biggest danger for the country is that “fatigue” is setting in in Western capitals nearly a year after the Russian invasion: if interest or sympathy for the country wanes, or if inflation in food and energy prices causes Western leaders to focus more on their internal problems.

That doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment. “We see that support and aid is growing,” Andriy Yermak, head of the administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, said Thursday in Davos, where a large Ukrainian delegation arrived this week to lobby for more aid.

He emphasized that Western countries promise to give Kyiv “everything necessary to not only exist, but also to defeat it.” It is important.

Long concerned about not challenging Moscow and its nuclear weapons, Ukraine’s allies have refused to supply the country with much weaponry ahead of Russia’s invasion, and they need time to decide on supplies of “offensive weapons” such as tanks.

But new promises of weapons are expected on Friday after a meeting of about 50 allies of Ukraine convened by the United States at the Ramstein military base in Germany.

“How much is needed”

The United States, Britain, Sweden and Denmark have already separately announced significant shipments of new weapons to the country, including armor and long-range precision missiles.

London has already handed over its Challenger heavy tanks to Kyiv late last week, while Germany is under intense pressure to allow the export of its Leopard tanks to countries that have them.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured that his country will continue to help Ukraine “as much as it will be necessary.”

“I think the only message we have to send is that we will support Ukraine as long as it takes,” Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin insisted: “One year, two years, five years, ten years, fifteen years.”

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Khrystia Freeland said it was clear that “Ukraine will win,” adding: “Let’s get this over with.

According to the New York Times, the Biden administration in the US is becoming “more sympathetic to the idea of ​​Ukraine attacking Crimea”, a territory annexed by Russia in 2014 and which Washington previously considered a red line that cannot be crossed. .

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