German Chancellor Scholz suggests delivering tanks to Ukraine could spark nuclear war as he faces mounting fury over refusal to send Kyiv heavy weapons

  • Scholz has faced heavy criticism for failing to deliver heavy weaponry to Ukraine
  • He said he wants to do everything in his power to avoid conflict with Russia
  • Other Western allies have stepped up their military shipments to Kyiv

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he fears providing Ukraine with tanks could spark a nuclear war.

The leader has faced sharp criticism for failing to delivery heavy weapons to the besieged country, such as tanks and howitzers to fend off savage Russian attacks.

Other Western allies have stepped up their military shipments to Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces but Scholz has held firm in his bid not to upset Vladimir Putin.

Instead, on Tuesday, he said Germany would provide Ukraine with £830million to buy their own weapons. 

Asked in an extensive interview published on Friday why he thought delivering tanks could lead to nuclear war, he said there was no rule book that stated when Germany could be considered a party to the war in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he fears providing Ukraine with tanks could spark a nuclear war

Soldiers from the German Army’s 37th Panzergrenadier Brigade drive tanks during an exercise this month

He told Spiegel: ‘We need to do everything to avoid a direct military confrontation between NATO and a heavily armed superpower such as Russia, a nuclear power

‘I will do everything to avoid an escalation that could lead to World War III – there can be no nuclear war.

‘That’s why it is all the more important that we consider each step very carefully and coordinate closely with one another. 

‘To avoid an escalation towards NATO is a top priority for me.

‘That’s why I don’t focus on polls or let myself be irritated by shrill calls. The consequences of an error would be dramatic.’

The comments were a departure from his previous statements on the topic, focusing on the fact that Germany’s own military’s stocks were too depleted to send any heavy battlefield weapons while those the German industry has said it could supply could not easily be put into use.

Scholz fears a Russian nuclear attack if he arms Ukraine. This week, Russia test launched a Sarmat ballistic missile (pictured)

Asked why he would not explain his government’s reluctance with the threat of nuclear war, he said such ‘simplifications’ were not helpful.

He was yesterday accused of removing heavy weapons systems, including Boxer transport vehicles and German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks, from a list agreed with Ukraine, according to details leaked to Bild newspaper. 

Germany has claimed sending heavy weaponry such as tanks from its own stocks would ‘significantly weaken’ its own defensive capability and leave the country unable to fulfil its own Nato requirements.

By contrast, Britain has provided at least £450million of military aid and weaponry, including armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles.

Yesterday, the US announced a further £612million of military aid including heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers and tactical drones, following a similar-sized package of assistance earlier this month.

Other Western allies have stepped up their military shipments to Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces but Scholz has held firm, not wanting to upset Vladimir Putin (pictured today)

The apparent leak of the weapons list appears to confirm claims from Andrij Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, earlier this week, who said: ‘The weapons we need are not even on this list.’ The agreed list came to just £257million – about a third of that promised by Mr Scholz.

Germany instead reached an agreement yesterday with allies in eastern Europe to supply Ukraine with heavy artillery, tanks and armoured vehicles provided by other countries before Berlin replenishes stocks, defence minister Christine Lambrecht said.

It will also train Ukrainian soldiers to use its Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers, reportedly sent by the Netherlands.

Mrs Lambrecht said Germany cannot send the howitzers itself as its army ‘does not have the stocks’. The opposition party may force a vote on the issue next week, forcing Mr Scholz into an embarrassing backtrack.

Separately, Scholz defended his decision not to immediately end German imports of Russian gas in response to what Russia calls a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine.

‘I absolutely do not see how a gas embargo would end the war. If (Russian President Vladimir) Putin were open to economic arguments, he would never have begun this crazy war,’ he said.

‘Secondly, you act as if this was about money. But it’s about avoiding a dramatic economic crisis and the loss of millions of jobs and factories that would never again open their doors.’

Scholz said this would have considerable consequences not just for Germany but also for Europe and the future financing of the reconstruction of Ukraine.

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