A view of the Russian embassy in the UK (TASS)

Officials at the Russian Embassy in the UK stated that Britain’s declaration to possibly transfer Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine is an attempt to “coincide with the forthcoming 'Ramstein' format meeting,” and another way to pressure other European governments to send weapons to Ukraine.

“The initiative to ship modern samples of heavy armor to the Ukrainian military is meant to serve as a precedent and to persuade other, less belligerent Western countries to follow suit and provide their own tanks to the Ukrainian armed forces,” the embassy released in a statement published on Saturday.

“The United Kingdom seems to be intent on reaffirming its status as top NATO Member State in terms of arming Kiev and escalating the conflict,” the officials further stated, as they added that the intended tank shipment was “yet more proof of the UK authorities’ disdain for the lives of ordinary Ukrainians.”

'Putting out a fire with petrol'

The 'Ramstein format meeting', that the embassy refers to is where the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is due to pressure for amplifying weapon supplies on January 20. It is a US-led mechanism of 50 nations shipping weaponry to Ukraine.

“Those among the British public who are growing weary of warfare and harbor a desire for peace, are in for a disappointment,” the embassy said, because “one really cannot put out a fire with petrol.”

The statement continued to say that bringing tanks to the conflict zone will only intensify combat and generate more casualties. The pressure campaign "conforms to London’s objectives of prolonging the conflict.... hence the belligerent official rhetoric and the thorough disregard for the idea… [of] a negotiated settlement," it said.

The statement concluded by assuring that sending the Challenger 2 tanks “will hardly help the Ukrainian military turn the tide in the field” and will immediately “become legitimate large-scale targets for the Russian forces,"

This follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, during which he told him that London would send Kiev 12 Challenger 2 tanks. "The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine, including through the provision of Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems," Sunak's office said.

Sunak and Zelensky also agreed on "the need to seize on this moment with an acceleration of global military and diplomatic support to Ukraine," in particular, welcoming Poland and other countries' commitment to start sending tanks to Kiev.

In late November, Sunak vowed that his country would stand by Kiev's side "until Ukraine has won" during his first visit to the Ukrainian capital since taking office.