« Trump, deliberately or not, is helping Russia rattle the nuclear sabre, » said Maria Popova, associate professor of political science at McGill University.
The Kremlin is echoing former President Donald Trump’s concerns about the United States sending more than two dozen tanks to Ukraine.
President Joe Biden this week announced that he will send an estimated 31 Abrams M1 tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia, which launched an invasion 11 months ago. It came on the heels of German officials saying they would provide Leopard 2 tanks. Poland is also sending Leopard 2 combat vehicles, while the U.K. this month announced it will send Challenger 2 tanks.
Biden’s announcement drew strong rebukes from a faction of Republicans, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Trump.
« FIRST COME THE TANKS, THEN COME THE NUKES, » Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social. « Get this crazy war ended, NOW. So easy to do! »
He posted again on Friday, writing, « A major disaster is brewing! »
His words apparently reached the Kremlin, as spokesperson Dmitry Peskov invoked Trump when saying on Friday that Western tanks being supplied to Ukraine are escalating tensions.
« Tensions are rising particularly due to the decisions that are made, first and foremost, in Washington and in European capitals under Washington’s pressure, » Peskov told reporters, according to Russian media outlet Tass.
« It is about the supplies of weapons, tanks and other things, and ongoing discussions that now concern aircraft.
