Germany has "crossed" a red line by supplying Ukraine with arms, Russia's ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev told state-owned media earlier this week.
"The very fact that the Ukrainian regime is being supplied with German-made lethal weapons, which are used not only against Russian military service members, but also the civilian population of Donbass, crosses the red line," Nechayev told Izvestia newspaper on Monday, according to RT.
He added that Berlin should have known better, "considering the moral and historic responsibility that Germany has before our people for the Nazi crimes."
On Thursday, German defense leaders pledged additional munitions to help Ukraine fend off Russian attacks, announcing the country plans to deliver two multiple-launch rocket systems, known as MARS II, with 200 missiles and 50 Dingo armored personnel carriers, according to Defense News.
Berlin is also close to finalizing a deal with Greece that would have Athens send 40 of its Soviet-made BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine in exchange for 40 Marder IFVs from former Bundeswehr stocks maintained by industry, according to German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.
The defense minister's decision comes days after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized Germany for refusing to send military vehicles to Ukraine.
"Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now — to liberate people and save them from genocide," Kuleba tweeted. "Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses. What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?"
Kuleba's remarks were in response to Lambrecht's statement Monday that Germany could not send tanks or other vehicles to Ukraine, despite the territory gains it has made against Russian forces.
"It's not so simple just to say 'I'll just risk that we won't be able to act, the defense of the country, by giving everything away,'" she reportedly said. "No, I won't do that. But we have other possibilities, from industry, with our partners."
Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that an editorial in a Chinese-state newspaper predicted an emerging world crisis between Eastern and Western nations following a conspicuous meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping earlier this week.
Published in the Global Times on Friday, the column characterizes the meeting of the two authoritarian leaders as the next step in the countries' efforts to form a border against the Western countries aligned with the United Nations and NATO.
Chinese officials have not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said last week that the country "understands" Russian concerns about NATO's potential expansion.
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