Moscow.- The United States wants to deny that the delivery of its Abrams tanks to Kyiv will lead to an aggravation of the conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov assured today.
The deputy head who offered an interview to the agency this Sunday sputnikstressed that sending a tank battalion to Ukraine is a highly destructive move by Washington as it is an attempt to implement an obvious escalation scenario in Ukraine.
Having decided to hand over a sufficient amount of these weapons to the Kiev regime, they begin to convey the idea that this fact does not represent an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, Riabkov stressed.
The diplomat also noted that in recent days statements by US and European officials have repeatedly included phrases like “peace is war.”
All of this is taking place before the eyes of the international community, which I understand is experiencing growing concern about the future that this Western group of irresponsible politicians is preparing for the world, not to say they have lost their minds, the stressed deputy minister.
On January 25, the United States announced a plan to donate 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Until then, Washington had been reluctant to provide Kyiv with these tanks, citing the difficulty and high cost of maintaining them.
According to the Pentagon, Washington has provided more than $29.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine since 2014, including more than $26.7 billion since Russia launched its special military operation in the neighboring country on February 24, 2022.