عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Kremlin Says Ukrainians Will Suffer If Europe Sends Tanks

Damaged apartment blocks in the town of Lyman, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 22 January 2023. (EPA)
Damaged apartment blocks in the town of Lyman, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 22 January 2023. (EPA)
TT
TT

Kremlin Says Ukrainians Will Suffer If Europe Sends Tanks

Damaged apartment blocks in the town of Lyman, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 22 January 2023. (EPA)
Damaged apartment blocks in the town of Lyman, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 22 January 2023. (EPA)

The Kremlin said on Monday that the Ukrainian people would suffer if the West sent tanks to support Kyiv, as the question of whether German-made Leopard tanks will be transferred to Ukraine remained unresolved.

The United States and its allies failed during talks last week in Germany to convince Berlin to provide its Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine, a key demand from Kyiv as it tries to breath new momentum into its fight against Russian forces.

Berlin said it would move quickly to allow allies to transfer Leopards in their own arsenals to Ukraine, if a consensus was found. But even that appeared to be inconclusive.

Asked about the issue at a daily news briefing on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the splits in Europe over whether to provide tanks to Kyiv showed there was increasing "nervousness" within the NATO military alliance.

"But of course, all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility (for continuing the conflict)," Peskov told reporters.

"The main thing is that it is the Ukrainian people who will pay the price for all this pseudo-support," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his country could send Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of a coalition of countries even without Germany's permission.

Germany would not stand in the way if Poland sent its German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday in an interview with French television channel LCI.

Wagner sanctions

The Kremlin also dismissed the significance of US sanctions on Russian mercenary group Wagner, saying they would have no practical effect.

The White House said on Friday that Wagner, which has been supporting Russian forces in Ukraine and claiming credit for battlefield advances, would be designated a significant Transnational Criminal Organization and that new sanctions against it would be announced this week.

"I don't think that in practical terms it has any significance for our country, and even less for the Wagner private military company (PMC)," Peskov said.

Wagner founder Yevgeniy Prigozhin wrote to the White House over the weekend asking national security spokesperson John Kirby to "clarify what crime was committed by PMC Wagner?"

Having spent years operating in the shadows and denying his links to Wagner, Prigozhin last year admitted his links to the paramilitary organization as part of a recruitment drive to convince tens of thousands of Russian convicts to fight in Ukraine in exchange for amnesty.

He has since become one of the most high-profile figures in the conflict on the Russian side, with tensions emerging between Prigozhin and the Russian defense ministry over the conduct of the 11-month campaign in Ukraine.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

UN Adopts Resolution on Closing Gap in Access to Artificial Intelligence

FILE -Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations addresses members of the UN Security Council during a meeting on Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, April 24, 2024 at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
FILE -Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations addresses members of the UN Security Council during a meeting on Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, April 24, 2024 at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
TT
TT

UN Adopts Resolution on Closing Gap in Access to Artificial Intelligence

FILE -Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations addresses members of the UN Security Council during a meeting on Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, April 24, 2024 at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
FILE -Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations addresses members of the UN Security Council during a meeting on Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, April 24, 2024 at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a Chinese-sponsored resolution with US support urging wealthy developed nations to close the widening gap with poorer developing countries and ensure that they have equal opportunities to use and benefit from artificial intelligence.
The resolution approved Monday follows the March 21 adoption of the first UN resolution on artificial intelligence spearheaded by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries including China. It gave global support to the international effort to ensure that AI is “safe, secure and trustworthy” and that all nations can take advantage of it.
Adoption of the two non-binding resolutions shows that the United States and China, rivals in many areas, are both determined to be key players in shaping the future of this powerful new technology — and have been cooperating on these first important international steps, The Associated Press reported.
The adoption of both resolutions by consensus by the 193-member General Assembly shows widespread global support for their leadership on the issue.
China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong told reporters Monday that the two resolutions are complementary, with the US measure being “more general” and the just-adopted one focusing on “capacity building.”
He called the Chinese resolution, which had over 140 sponsors, “great and far-reaching,” and said, “We’re very appreciative of the positive role that the US has played in this whole process.”
Fu said AI technology is advancing extremely fast and the issue has been discussed at very senior levels, including by the US and Chinese leaders.
“We do look forward to intensifying our cooperation with the United States and for that matter with all countries in the world on this issue, which ... will have far-reaching implications in all dimensions,” he said.
The Chinese ambassador, however, strongly criticized the US Treasury Department’s proposed rule, announced on June 21, that would restrict and monitor US investments in China for artificial intelligence, computer chips and quantum computing.
“We are firmly opposed to these sanctions,” Fu said. China doesn’t believe the rule will be “helpful to the healthy development of the AI technology per se, and will, by extension, divide the world in terms of the standards, and in terms of the rules governing AI.” He called on the US to lift the sanctions.
The Chinese resolution calls on the international community “to provide and promote a fair, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory business environment,” from AI’s design and development to its use. Fu said China doesn’t think the US actions foster an inclusive business environment.
Both the US and Chinese resolutions focus on the civilian applications of AI, but Fu told reporters the military dimension of artificial intelligence is also very important.
“We do believe that it is necessary for the international community to take measures to reduce the dangers and the risks posed by the development of AI,” he said.
China is actively participating in negotiations in Geneva on controlling lethal autonomous weapons, Fu said, adding that some countries are considering proposing a General Assembly resolution this year on the military dimension of AI — “and we are in broad support of that initiative.”
Both the US and Chinese resolutions warned of the dangers of AI while also touting its potential benefits in promoting economic development and the lives of people everywhere.
The US resolution recognizes that “the governance of artificial intelligence systems is an evolving area” that needs further discussions on possible governance approaches. It calls on countries to ensure that personal data is protected, human rights are safeguarded, and AI is monitored for potential risks.