BELGRADE, January 26. /TASS/. Supplies of German and US tanks to Ukraine will prolong the conflict there, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said on Thursday.

"Supplies of Western tanks to Ukraine will extend the war. If America and Russia don’t agree, and that’s not in sight so far, the war won’t be over. I hope that some talks are going on, otherwise we are inching toward the Third World War. As for the tanks, both Russian and US ones burn alike," Milanovic was quoted as saying by the N1 television channel.

The president said Croatia doesn’t plan to be involved in hostilities against Russia.

"Maybe, these tanks will burn down, maybe, they will reach Crimea, but without Croatia. I will always stand for that. Those who wants to please someone in Brussels, could support that (involvement in the conflict - TASS), but I won’t," Milanovic continued.

Germany said on Wednesday that it would send Ukraine 14 Leopard 2 tanks from the inventories of the German armed forces and will allow other countries to reexport these armored vehicles. US President Joe Biden later said that Washington would transfer 31 Abrams tanks to Kiev. According to Biden, the decision isn’t aimed to fight Russia, but aims to help the fight for freedom. The US president said that the transfer of tanks allegedly doesn’t threaten Russia.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday told reporters that the Kremlin sees the involvement of the US and the other countries of the collective West in the conflict in Ukraine is rising. He had earlier said supplies of heavy armored vehicles to Ukraine wouldn’t be able to change the situation on the ground.