Ukraine has called on Germany on Monday to unblock arms sales to the country to deter Russia from a renewed attack, Yeni Safak reports.
Speaking to local media, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk warned that his country faces a real threat of an invasion from Russia.
“In order to prevent (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s imminent attack … Kyiv expects a massive military support from Germany,” he told the Funke media group.
Melnyk said Germany bears the same historical responsibility for Ukraine as it does for Israel, due to the crimes committed by the Nazis during World War II.
“We expect from the German government to abandon this blocking attitude -- which is morally absolutely reprehensible -- and urgently provide the defensive weapons Ukraine needs,” he said.
Despite its strong political and economic support for Ukraine, Germany has so far opposed the weapons sales to Ukraine, and also blocked arms supplies to the country via NATO’s procurement agency.
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly said the weapons to be purchased via NATO are exclusively defensive tools and aim to protect the county from aggression.
Russia has recently amassed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine’s border, prompting fears that Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its ex-Soviet neighbor.
NATO allies are accusing Russia of trying to destabilize the country by providing military support to the separatist forces in Ukraine’s eastern regions.