After months of resistance, the United States and Germany allegedly wanted to send tanks to Ukraine, which Kyiv believes would be a military game-changer.
The government of US President Joe Biden is likely to announce plans to deliver at least 30 M1 Abrams tanks. According to reports, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also decided to send at least 14 Leopard 2 tanks.
US, Germany to Reveal Tanks Deal
The Russian ambassador to the United States condemned the revelation as "another brazen provocation," as per The Independent. According to Ukrainian authorities, such shipments might help their forces retake territory from the Russians.
The United States and Germany have resisted internal and global pressure to send tanks to Ukraine up until this point. The United States has emphasized the high-tech Abrams' significant maintenance and training requirements. Per BBC, Berlin has cautioned against NATO's active involvement in the conflict with Russia.
US media sites, citing unknown sources, say that an announcement about Abrams supplies to Ukraine might come as early as Wednesday. According to unnamed officials, at least 30 vehicles might be dispatched. It may take months or years for the US combat vehicles to reach the battlefront, and it is unknown when any possible delivery could occur.
German authorities reportedly stressed in secret that they would only agree to the supply of Leopard 2s to Ukraine if the United States also delivered M1 Abrams. This week, Poland announced its intention to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. However, these tanks are manufactured in Germany; thus, Berlin must authorize their shipment.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, at least 16 European and NATO nations own the Leopard 2 tank. Not everyone will deploy tanks to Ukraine, but Scholz's decision now allows them to if they want.
Spiegel, which first reported the news of Scholz's agreement to transfer tanks to Ukraine, stated that Germany would provide at least one company of Leopard 2A6 tanks from the Bundeswehr's inventory. Typically, equipping a firm requires the transfer of more than 14 tanks.
Read Also : What is Doomsday Clock?
Russia Says Ukraine Can't Change The Situation
The German government issued no official statement. The Kremlin has stated that delivering tanks to Ukraine would not alter the situation and that the West would come to regret its "delusion" that Kyiv could defeat Russia on the battlefield. The United States has avoided giving Ukraine M1 Abrams tanks, citing the high-tech weaponry's considerable maintenance and logistical hurdles.
Washington felt it would be more efficient to deliver German Leopards, as many of its allies already owned them. Ukrainian forces would require less training on the Leopards than on the more sophisticated Abrams. By agreeing to supply Abrams tanks, the US administration appears to comply with the German Chancellor's demand that Berlin march in lockstep with the United States.
Scholz had resisted the swelling chorus of those pressing him to send tanks to Kyiv, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO allies, and coalition government members for months. Zelenskyy adopted a particularly hard stance, stating that Berlin's inaction cost Ukrainian lives. The Leopard tanks might offer the Ukrainian army an advantage over the Russians.
Germany is one of the largest military donors to Ukraine. However, widespread skepticism exists among the German people over the utility of deploying tanks, as many are concerned that it may further entangle Germany in a growing conflict in Eastern Europe.
While the German government was willing to supply armored personnel carriers and its anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems to Ukraine, there was reluctance to send the offensive Leopard 2 battle tank. For months, Ukraine has demanded Western-designed battle tanks to combat the invading Russian army. The eastern Ukrainian battle line has not advanced in recent weeks.
With the tanks, Ukraine intends to reclaim additional territory that Russia has occupied. According to analysts, Russia is also planning a major onslaught in Ukraine's spring, which begins in March. After media rumors of Germany's decision surfaced on Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities quickly praised it as a potential game-changer on the battlefield in the 11-month-old conflict.
Green Party members of the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, also applauded the decision. Large tanks of Western design have yet to be sent to Ukraine for use against Russian forces. To date, Ukraine has only acquired Soviet-made tanks formerly in the stockpiles of Eastern European NATO members.
Only Finland and Poland, out of the fourteen European nations that own Leopard tanks, have officially indicated a willingness to provide them to Ukraine. The United Kingdom has committed to fourteen Challenger tanks, Al Jazeera reported.
Related Article : UK Not Sending Attack Helicopters to Ukraine
@YouTube
