IRIA News

U.S. President Joe Biden has announced to send a battalion of 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The announcement came on January 25, 2023, after Germany confirmed that it would send 14 Leopard 2 tanks and allow its partners to supply the German-made tanks to Ukraine.

According to the White House official, the U.S. would be sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine the equivalent of one Ukrainian battalion.

The progress is being seen as the first step of the coordinated efforts from the western allies to address Ukraine’s request for the provision of battle tanks as it prepares for a renewed Russian offensive expected to take place in the upcoming spring.

Some U.S. officials believe that the tanks would not arrive in Ukraine for many months, as the Pentagon is working through the challenges involved in providing the training, equipment, and fuel to operate the 70-ton tracked weapons. However, the announcement is being seen as a hugely symbolic win for Ukraine, after brutal fighting across the country.

According to the U.S. State Department, President Biden approved the tanks along with a $400 million procurement through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a fund set aside by Congress to support Ukraine. The whole military assistance package includes 31 Abrams tanks, along with 120 mm rounds and other ammunition, eight tactical recovery vehicles, other support vehicles and equipment, training, maintenance, and sustainment.

“Putin expected Europe and the United States to weaken our resolve. He expected our support for Ukraine to crumble with time. He was wrong,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “These tanks are further evidence of our enduring, unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of the Ukrainian forces,” he added.

The White House statement highlighted that President Biden discussed the latest developments of the Ukraine crisis with European allies and agreed to increase support for Kyiv. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden discussed “our close coordination on support for Ukraine” with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the news and called it “an important step on the path to victory.” For months, Ukraine has been requesting aid in the war effort against Russia, saying that they “need weapons” and “cannot go only on motivation”.

Germany to send 14 Leopard tanks

Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz also announced on January 25 that Germany will send 14 Leopard 2 tanks out of its own Bundeswehr (German armed forces) stocks to Ukraine.

The German government statement said that the change in its position came as a “result of intensive consultations that took place with Germany’s closest European and international partners.” The statement also added that the Ukrainian forces’ crews will receive training for operating the tanks in Germany.

Earlier this week, Foreign ministers of the European Union countries agreed to provide more military aid to Ukraine accounting for about 500 million euros ($542 million), marking of EU’s seventh tranche of military aid for Ukraine. The foreign ministers unanimously approved the 500-million-euro package along with a further 45 million for “non-lethal equipment” for the EU’s military training mission for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, top members of Biden’s national security team including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met frequently with their German and European counterparts, including most recently at a meeting of defense ministers at Ramstein Air Base. The U.S. officials urged Germany to send their Leopard 2s, which are abundant across Europe and easier for the Ukrainians to use and maintain than the Abrams. 

As a result of the push from its allies, Germany’s foreign minister Annalena Baerbock announced that it would not stand in way if European allies send German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine for its war efforts against Russia. Now having received a nod of approval from Germany, Poland can deliver about 14 Leopards to Ukraine at the earliest.

There are around 2,000 Leopard tanks stocked across over a dozen European countries that can be sent to Ukraine.