BERLIN, February 3. /TASS/. Germany’s government has taken into consideration Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements about shipments of Western tanks to Kiev, but they will not affect Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s readiness to continue phone talks with the Russian leader, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told reporters on Friday.
"The government has, of course, taken note of the Russian president’s comments," Hebestreit said when asked. According to him, by sending weapons, the West helps Ukraine defend itself.
Hebestreit was asked later whether such statements were a step towards further escalation in political relations between Russia and Germany, and whether that would have an impact on Scholz’s willingness to proceed with telephone conversations with Putin.
"No, they won’t," he said. "The chancellor said, also yesterday in Marburg, that he was going to call the Russian president in the coming weeks."
Hebestreit stated that Berlin and Moscow had "totally different assessments" of the Ukraine crisis.
"The chancellor believes it important to maintain such contact," the government spokesman added.
In his statements on Thursday, Putin pointed out that Russia was not sending tanks to the borders of Western countries, but that Moscow had something to respond to threats, and it would not be just armored vehicles.
On January 25, the United States pledged to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Kiev. On the same day, Germany confirmed that it would transfer 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Ukraine and would allow other countries to re-export these combat vehicles to Ukraine. According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the Leopard 2 tanks would be sent to Ukraine "before the end of March." Norway, Slovakia, the UK, Poland, and France have also pledged to provide Kiev with Western-made tanks. Kiev expects to receive up to 140 tanks from 12 countries in its initial batch.