German president justifies Scholz's caution about arms shipments to Ukraine

BERLIN, Jan. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) -

The President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has defended this Friday the caution maintained by the Government of Olaf Scholz regarding the shipment of heavy weapons to Ukraine, despite the repeated requests for help launched from kyiv, which is now demanding tanks.

"Every responsible politician must also deal with the question of when and under what circumstances a dramatic expansion of the conflict could take place," Steinmeier, a Social Democrat like Scholz, told the Wirtschaftswoche newspaper.

"This is part of what must be taken into account, as well as the evaluation of the consequences of a lack of support," he added.

Steinmeier has stated that Germany supports Ukraine "to the extent of its possibilities" and in a "substantial and permanent" manner, for example by sending anti-aircraft defense systems and combat vehicles.

On German policy towards Russia, the president has admitted that "it was a mistake" not to recognize in time that Russian President Vladimir Putin "was willing to risk the political, social and economic ruin of his country for his imperial objectives". "He has declared that the West is his enemy. And we must draw our conclusions from it," he added.