Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's parliament and a key ally to Vladimir Putin, has said that the West is risking a ‘global catastrophe’ if it continues supplying arms to Ukraine that threaten Russian territories.
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The comments were reported today in a post on his Telegram channel and came asEurope prepares to send over its much-coveted Leopard 2 tanks to help defend Ukraine.
Retaliatory measures
Volodin warned the US and Nato that nuclear war could be a real possibility if weapon supplies continue, writing on his Telegram channel, as per The Daily Express:
If Washington and NATO countries supply weapons that will be used to strike civilian cities and attempt to seize our territories, as they threaten, this will lead to retaliatory measures using more powerful weapons.
Arguments that the nuclear powers have not previously used weapons of mass destruction in local conflicts are untenable.
He went on to say that the politicians in the US, France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe must ‘recognise their responsibility to humanity’ as:
Deliveries of offensive weapons to the Kyiv regime will lead to a global catastrophe.
Volodin believes that Brussels, which is where NATO's headquarters are, and the US are leading the world to a 'terrible war' if they continue to supply Ukraine with military equipment.
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Leopard 2 tanks
The comments have been made at a time when there has been much discussion over the supply of arms and military equipment to help with the defence of Ukraine. The Leopard 2 tanks produced in Europe are thought to be crucial for Ukraine’s efforts against Russia.
Poland has 14 which they are ready to provide but Germany is yet to provide their armoured vehicles, and its export laws prevent other countries from sending theirs. President Zelensky has stated that he believes 300 tanks would ensure Russian defeat, as per the BBC.
After several days of discussion, Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock stated this morning that she 'would not stand in the way' of Poland if they were to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
The talks represent escalating tensions as the brutal war continues with both countries gearing up for ‘major offensives’ in what could be Putin’s ‘last roll of the dice’, in comments made by retired British Army officer, Colonel Richard Kemp, as per The Daily Express:
We have Putin mobilising his forces, getting ready to send them into Ukraine. He could attack from the south up towards the Donbas region. He could attack from the north from Belarus or he could attack from the northeast from inside Russia towards Kyiv.
Ukraine has got to do two things - defend against that operation if it occurs, and they also have to try to go on the offensive themselves.
Meanwhile, former British PM Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to the outskirts of Kyiv and President Zelensky repeated his long-standing request for more British tanks, as per The Independent, 'We need more weapons: tanks, aircraft, long-range missiles'.
Sources used:
- The Daily Express 'Putin ally warns of 'global catastrophe' over West's fresh weapon deliveries'
- BBC: 'Ukraine war:Germany won't block export of its Leopard 2 tanks, foreign minister says'
- The Independent'Ukraine news – live: Germany ‘won’t stand in way’ of Poland tanks as Johnson makes surprise trip'
- The Independent: Ukraine news – live: Putin ally claims US and Brussels ‘leading world to a terrible war’
