China News Agency, Beijing, January 20th. Comprehensive news: The US Department of Defense announced a new batch of military aid to Ukraine on the 19th, which did not include the main battle tanks that have attracted much attention from the outside world.

The Ukrainian Defense Liaison Group will hold a meeting in Germany on the 20th to discuss increasing arms supplies to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg said on the meeting that countries will provide Ukraine with heavy weapons.

Russia has warned that Western powers supplying Ukraine with weapons capable of striking Russia's homeland are dangerous and will take the situation to a whole new level.

The new batch of U.S. military aid to Ukraine does not include tanks

　　According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 19th that it would provide Ukraine with a new batch of military aid worth 2.5 billion U.S. dollars, including air defense missile system ammunition, 8 sets of "Avenger" air defense missile systems, 59 "Bradley" "Infantry fighting vehicles and 350 high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, etc.

　　This batch of U.S. military aid to Ukraine did not include the U.S.-made main battle tanks that have attracted much attention.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries to provide it with modern tanks.

　　According to a report by the US "Wall Street Journal" on the 19th, Western countries are pulling each other over the issue of aiding tanks to Ukraine.

Poland and other countries have expressed that they are ready to ship their German-made "Leopard" tanks to Ukraine if they get permission from Germany, but no country has made a formal application to Germany so far.

A senior German official said that Germany will not allow its allies to ship German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine unless the United States first provides U.S.-made main battle tanks to Ukraine.

　　German Chancellor Scholz said in Davos, Switzerland on the 18th that Germany will never act alone, but will act in tandem with other countries, especially the United States.

　　New German Defense Minister Pistorius met with visiting US Secretary of Defense Austin in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on the 19th.

The key topic discussed in the meeting between the defense ministers of Germany and the United States was to provide further arms assistance to Ukraine, including the German-made "Leopard" tanks.

Russian Satellite News Agency reported on the 20th that the US Defense Minister failed to obtain the consent of the German Defense Minister on the issue of providing tanks to Ukraine.

NATO says it will provide heavy weapons to Ukraine, Russia warns that the situation will escalate

　　According to Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" and other foreign media reports, the U.S.-led Ukrainian Defense Liaison Group will hold a meeting in Germany on the 20th to discuss increasing arms supplies to Ukraine.

About 50 countries, including NATO members, will participate.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the message from the meeting was that countries would "provide more support and more advanced, heavy and modern weapons" to Ukraine.

　　Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov warned on the 19th that the act of Western countries to provide Ukraine with weapons that can strike Russia is dangerous and will escalate the situation to a new level, which may threaten European and global security.

Russian media: Russia ready to defend Crimea in case of Ukraine attack

　　The Russian Satellite News Agency reported on the 20th that Crimean officials said that the latest statements by the United States and Ukraine on Crimea indicate that the crisis in Ukraine will reach its peak.

Russia is ready to defend Crimea should Ukraine try to attack.

　　Earlier in the day, the Russian Satellite News Agency reported that a spokesman for the US Department of Defense stated that the United States will support Ukraine, including possible actions to seize Crimea.

The spokesman stressed that the United States considers Crimea to be Ukrainian territory.

　　The report also said that a spokesperson for the US State Department said on the 18th that the US does not recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

　Belarusian President meets Russian Foreign Minister

　　Belarusian President Lukashenko held talks with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on the 19th.

After the talks, Lavrov said that Russia and Belarus have the same position on the goals that special military operations should achieve.

　　Lavrov also said on the same day that Russia and Belarus are concerned about NATO's destructive expansion policy, and that NATO troops and military facilities are getting closer to the Russian-Belarus border. NATO's behavior has led to an escalation of tension.

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