'The defeat of a nuclear power in a conventional war may trigger a nuclear war,' Medvedev said. Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of President Vladimir Putin who stood in as president from 2008-2012 when Putin took a hiatus to act as prime minister, made one of Moscow's clearest threats to use nuclear weapons if it loses in Ukraine.

Russia has responded to the prospect of more weapons for Kyiv with threats of escalation. It shouldn't be like that.' NUCLEAR THREAT AND DIVIDED PUBLIC 'We are paying for the slowness with the lives of our Ukrainian people. 'We have no time, the world does not have this time,' Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, wrote on Telegram.

Ukrainian officials pressed for an urgent decision.

In a sign of mounting frustration, Poland suggested it might do so even if Germany tries to block it. Poland and Finland have already said they would send Leopards if Germany lifts its veto. 'Some of the countries will definitely send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, that is for sure', Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas told Reuters.ĭutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren said she was confident a solution would be found, but that the Netherlands would need a green light from Berlin before deciding whether to contribute tanks.

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