Western countries are unlikely to significantly increase arms supplies to Kiev amid a “counterattack” by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and are not preparing to send heavy equipment to it. This was reported by Bloomberg news agency citing its sources
“There is unlikely to be a dramatic increase in arms shipments or a new taboo on their type, as the US is being cautious and Europe’s stockpiles of key weapons are running low,” the agency quoted a senior EU official as saying.
Four sources told Bloomberg that there is “no indication” today that Europe is preparing to send heavy weaponry to Kiev. We are talking in particular about German Leopard main battle tanks (MBTs), which Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey (NATO members) are using. They can transfer these tanks only with Berlin’s permission. Germany, according to the paper, has not given its permission so far. Furthermore, no requests have been received from other countries to allow Ukraine to export Leopards, the source said.
Furthermore, according to Bloomberg, due to the lack of funds and the elections in Italy, aid to Ukraine has been removed from the list of priorities for its government. Thus, since July, arms deliveries to Kiev from Rome have slowed down, the sources said.
We shall remind you that Germany earlier said that it would not deliver Western-designed combat tanks to Ukraine. This was reported by German newspaper Die Zeit quoting Social Democratic leader Lars Klingbeil.