The supply of weapons to Ukraine will not help solve the conflict that is taking place in the east of the country. This was announced on June 1 by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Maas added that Kiev can always rely on Berlin's support when it comes to territorial integrity.
"Of course, we do not question Ukraine's right to self-defense <...> But at the same time, I am convinced that the conflict can only be resolved through political means. Nothing will change in this, arms supplies will not help this [settlement], " Maas said before a virtual meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
A day earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that Kiev would like to receive weapons from Berlin, including automatic rifles and radio equipment.
Before that, on May 26, the official representative of the German Cabinet of Ministers, Steffen Seibert, said that the government of the current convocation adheres to a restrictive policy of arms exports. According to him, Berlin is not going to change the decision to refuse to issue a permit for the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
On May 25, Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada bills aimed at increasing the size of the country's Armed Forces. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on the same day that this is how the militaristic regime is fed in the center of Europe.
At the same time, on May 7, the head of the Kiev delegation to the contact group on the Donbas, Leonid Kravchuk, said that in the future, Ukraine will develop military cooperation with the United States and other NATO countries. According to him, Kiev can count on the supply of lethal weapons. Russia has repeatedly noted that the supply of weapons to Kiev can only lead to an escalation in the Donbas.
Since 2014, Kiev has been conducting a military operation against the residents of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup and the new government in Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities blame Russia for the current situation. Moscow noted that it is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict.
