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Germany is fundamentally revising policy towards Russia - ambassador in Kiev

As follows from what she said, Berlin will begin to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine starting from Monday

KIEV, February 27. /TASS/. Germany’s ambassador in Kiev Anka Feldhausen has said that Berlin is fundamentally revising its policy towards Russia.

"Within 24 hours [after the beginning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine] we fundamentally revised our policy towards Russia. And this is not the last change to Germany’s policy," Feldhausen said on the Ukraine-24 television news channel on Sunday.

She remarked that actions against Russia should undergo great change. As follows from what she said, Berlin will begin to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine starting from Monday.

"As soon as tomorrow we are beginning supplies of lethal weapons to Ukraine," Feldhausen said.

On Saturday, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Andrey Melnik, said that Germany had approved the supply of 400 antitank weapons of German manufacture from the Netherlands and 9 howitzers D-30 and ammunition from Estonia. Earlier, the German government declared that it was sending to Kiev 1,000 antitank weapons and 500 anti-aircraft missiles Stinger.

So far, Germany has adhered to its long-standing rule of denying permission to bring lethal weapons under its control to conflict zones. Earlier, the Dutch government made a decision to dispatch 200 Stinger missiles to Ukraine as soon as possible.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 said in an early morning televised address he had launched a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans for an occupation of Ukrainian territories. The sole purpose is the country’s demilitarization and denazification. The Russian Defense Ministry has said that its forces are not attacking cities, key military infrastructures being its main targets. The civilian population is not at risk, the Defense Ministry said.