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Greece explains why it won’t send more weapons to Kiev — Analysis

Greece has announced it would not send any more weapons to Ukraine because it doesn’t have any to spare, and sending more would mean weakening its own defenses. This country is one of the countries that has been arming Ukraine since February’s Russian offensive. 

“The defense equipment we sent to Ukraine came from our stocks. There is no issue of sending more,” Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos told the country’s parliament on Wednesday. 

“There is no way we can weaken any part of our defense, especially on the islands, by taking a portion of it and sending it to Ukraine. I want to make this clear.”

 Greece has already sent Ukraine several C-130 cargo planes with military aid, such as portable rocket launchers, Kalashnikov rifles, and ammunition. 

Athens, however, has refused Washington’s request to transfer its heavier, Soviet-made weapons, such as the Tor-M1 and Osa-AK air defense missile systems, the Greek media reported. 

Turkey comments on possibility of joining Russian sanctions

Following the attack by Russia on neighboring countries, Western nations have increased their supply of weapons to Ukraine, including tanks and armoured personnel carriers as well missile systems. 

However, not all NATO member countries agreed to arm Kiev. Hungary refused to send any weapons, arguing that it was not in the country’s interests to be dragged into the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Russia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, signed in 2014, and Moscow’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Minsk Protocols, which were negotiated by France and Germany, gave the regions that had broken away special status in the Ukrainian government. 

Russia demanded Ukraine declare itself neutral and refuse to join NATO’s military bloc. Kiev claims that the Russian invasion was unprovoked. It also denies any plans to take the republics with force.

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