MOSCOW, Jan 19 France is considering transferring Leclerc tanks to Kyiv , writes the Politico newspaper, citing an unnamed French official.
«The issue is complex and has not yet been resolved in Paris. But we are thinking about it. Let's see what will be decided at a joint meeting of the cabinet of ministers of France and Germany,» the official said. .
In December, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that Kyiv wants to get tanks that meet NATO standards, in particular the French Leclerc. Previously, Politico wrote, citing French officials, that Leclerc tanks have already been discontinued, raising questions related to maintenance and spare parts.
Russia has previously sent a note to NATO countries over arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. The Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation stated that the NATO countries are «playing with fire» by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping Ukraine with weapons from the West does not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative effect.