The Russian Embassy in Germany said on Wednesday that Berlin’s decision to approve the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine represents an abdication of “historical responsibility towards Russia” related to Nazi crimes in World War II, Reuters reported.

In a sharp statement, the Russian embassy in Germany said that the supply of tanks would lead to further escalation of the conflict and even to “permanent escalation”.

“This extremely dangerous decision brings the conflict to a new level of confrontation and contradicts the statements of German politicians about Germany’s reluctance to be drawn into it,” said Ambassador Serhiy Nechaev.

“This destroys the remnants of mutual trust, causes irreparable damage to the already deplorable state of Russian-German relations and calls into question the possibility of their normalization in the near future,” he added.

Germany announced on Wednesday that it will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and approve their re-export from partner countries, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the goal is to quickly create two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks in Ukraine and that Germany will supply 14 tanks of this type from its military reserves.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, who turns 45 on Wednesday, has been asking for months for Western tanks, which he says he desperately needs to give his forces the firepower and mobility needed to break through Russian defense lines and retake territory occupied in the east and the south

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The West is “fooling itself”

Russia has said that such weapons will only prolong the war and the suffering of Ukrainians, and that the West is “deluding itself” into believing otherwise.

“The choice of Berlin means the final refusal of the Federal Republic of Germany to recognize its historical responsibility to our people for the terrible and eternal crimes of Nazism during the Great War for the defense of the Fatherland and to forget the difficult path of post-war reconciliation between Russians and Germans,” said Nechaev.

“With the approval of the German leadership, battle tanks with German crosses will again be sent to the “eastern front”, which will inevitably lead to the death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population.”

Reaction of partners

On the international stage, allies welcome Berlin’s long-awaited decision.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who insisted on sending heavy tanks to Ukraine, thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday for his decision.

“Thank you @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz,” he wrote on Twitter.

“The decision to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine is a big step to stop Russia.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that Germany had made the “right decision”.

“It was the right decision of NATO allies and friends to send main battle tanks to Ukraine. Together with Challenger 2, they will strengthen the defensive firepower of Ukraine,” Sunak wrote on Twitter.

“Together, we accelerate our efforts so that Ukraine wins this war and ensures lasting peace.”

Several countries have announced that they will join the initiative

And the French presidency welcomed Berlin’s decision to send tanks to Ukraine and allow other states to do the same.

“France welcomes Germany’s decision to extend and strengthen the support we have provided through the delivery of the AMX10 RC,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement, referring to the French light combat vehicle it also plans to send to Paris. Ukraine.

Finnish Defense Minister Mikko Savola said on Wednesday that Finland will join a group of countries that will send tanks to Ukraine, although the contribution will be limited.

“International cooperation on sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine is now progressing, and Finland will participate,” Savola told reporters.

The Netherlands is ready to supply battle tanks to Ukraine if needed, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

“If the Dutch contribution helps, we are ready to do it,” Rutte told Dutch broadcaster RTL.

And Spain is open to supplying Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said

According to Reuters, the Norwegian government is considering sending some of its German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Oslo-based newspapers Aftenposten and Dagens Naeringsliv reported on Tuesday evening.

Read here the most important information from 336th day of the war in Ukraine