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A meeting of Western defence ministers in Germany over supplying German tanks to Ukraine broke-up without a breakthrough.
This, as the United States is labelling the Russian Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organisation.
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[Location: RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, GERMANY]
Behind this graciousness lies mounting pressure which has clearly failed its job.
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MARK MILLEY, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General:
I still maintain that for this year, it would be very, very difficult to militarily eject the Russian forces.
That doesn't mean it can't happen, doesn't mean it won't happen, but it'd be very, very difficult.
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The discussion fizzled out fast after Germany refused to swiftly offer Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv and allow other countries to supply the tanks.
But Western allies are sending billions of dollars in equipment and weapons of their own to reinvigorate the war effort.
While denying blocking a consensus, Germany's defence minister insists more time is needed to finalise a deal.
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BORIS PISTORIUS, German Defense Minister:
We have to balance all the pros and contras before we decide things like that. Just like that, this is nothing else.
And I am very sure that there will be a decision in the short term, but I don't know why... and I don't know know how the decision will look.
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But U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin downplayed the importance of battle tanks, and said the alliance remains united.
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LLOYD AUSTIN, United States Defence Secretary:
This isn't really about one single platform.
They are a reliable ally, they'll continue to be a reliable ally going forward.
German is host to 39,000 of my troops and their families and also 10,000 civilians here.
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Washington has also resisted providing its own tanks to Ukraine, saying it'd be more productive to send German tanks instead.
Speaking virtually to the meeting ministers, Ukraine's president again made his case for battle tanks.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President:
You can start this policy today.
It is in your power to make a Ramstein of tanks, not to bargain about different numbers of tanks, but to open a principled supply that will stop Russian evil.
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Meantime, Russia claims to have captured the village of Klishchiivka in eastern Ukraine, 9 kilometers south of Bakhmut.
The White House today released images of an arms shipment from North Korea to Russia, which it says was intended to boost the Wagner forces fighting in Ukraine.
This is why the Treasury Department is designating the group as a significant transnational criminal organisation and announcing additional sanctions.
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JOHN KIRBY, White House National Security Council Spokesman:
These actions recognise the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses, including through its ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity.
We will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose and target those who are assisting Wagner.
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