Scholz speaks to soldiers in front of a Leopard 2 main battle tank on Oct. 17, 2022. AP.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday reiterated Germany's opposition to sending fighter jets to Ukraine.
He
warned Western countries against racing to arm Kyiv with sophisticated
weaponry only days after Berlin and Washington agreed to send tanks to Ukraine.
- Scholz told German
news outlet Tagesspiegel that sending aircraft to Ukraine is not even
being considered and warned Western countries against "entering into a
constant competition to outbid each other when it comes to weapons
systems."
- Scholz's comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western countries to send fighter jets and long-range missiles.
- Berlin last week agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and said it will allow other countries to provide German-made tanks to Kyiv.
- State-run Russian media said the Kremlin views Western tank donations to Ukraine as “direct involvement” in the conflict.
- U.S. President Joe Biden said that sending tanks should not be considered "an offensive threat to Russia."
