no offensive threat to russia. . russia has called the german decision certainly blatant provocation. let s bring you more than on that german announcement because earlier on today, germinate to confirm it would send some of its leopard battle tanks to ukraine and ukrainian commanders are very much hoping that they along with those american tanks and the british tanks could help to turn the tide of the war with russia. germany will also allow nato allies like finland and poland to send ukraine their leopard tanks. like finland and poland to send russia says the move would be a blatant provocation . here s our defence correspondent jonathan beale. western main battle tanks will soon be rolling into ukraine, including these german made leopards. berlin had been resisting pressure, worried about escalation. but it has now relented, a significant u turn. germany will initially supply ukraine with at least 14 leopard 2s with training for their crews
new level of confrontation but u.s. officials down played the risk as did biden. there s no offensive threat to russia. if russian troops return to russia, they will be there they belong this war would be over today. white house officials are candid they don t see any near term resolution to this in the 11th month, one-year anniversary next month, to make a big deal of that moment and the support they continue to provide. white house thanking so much. to politics lead. and the wake that the revelation that classified documents were found at former vp mike pence indiana home cnn learned the national archives are considering asking past and presidents to search again for classified materials.
significantly, following decisions by germany and the usa to supply battle tanks to ukrainian forces. could change significantly. president zelensky says the heavy weaponry will be crucial in the drive to push back and defeat the russians. the german chancellor, olaf scholz, had been under growing pressure to agree the deal, reflecting the deep misgivings among many germans. germany will make available 1a leopard 2 tanks, and they ll give partner countries permission to export the same model of german tank to kyiv. washington is set to deliver a significant number of its own abrams tanks to ukraine. president biden says it should not be seen as an offensive threat to russia. russia s ambassador in washington has warned that any deliveries of us tanks will be a blatant provocation. our europe editor, katya adler, reports.
represent any offensive threat to russia, to russian homeland. they do, however, represent a very viable, credible threat and it s not just the abrams but the leopards as well to russian soldiers that are inside ukraine illegally and in an unprovoked way. so they do represent a threat to russian armed forces inside ukraine, and they are meant to. and they re meant to be able to help ukraine not only defend itself but claw back some of the territory that the russians have taken from them. you ask about escalation management, and you and i have been talking for months now, that has always been a consideration. whatever system we agree to provide ukraine, we always want to factor in the possible reactions by mr. putin and russia and certainly work in no way to escalate this war beyond what it already has dreadfully escalated to at this point. it serves no one s interests let alone ukraine s interests for this to actually become a war between the united states and