President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the US will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that the tanks were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain.
The US decision came on the heels of Germany agreeing to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its own stocks. Germany had said the Leopards would not be sent unless the US put its Abrams on the table, not wanting to incur Russia's wrath without the US similarly committing its own tanks.
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Biden said that in total European allies have agreed to send enough tanks to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions, or a total of about 62 tanks.
"With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for additional counter offenses," Biden said in his announcement of his decision to send the tanks. "To liberate their land, they need to be able to counter Russia's evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term."
The announcement ends a standoff between Germany and the United States. Biden administration officials on Wednesday sought to downplay any friction between the two countries as both unveiled their plans. Both sides had participated in "good diplomatic conversations" that had made the difference and were part of the "extraordinary shift in Germany's security policy" over providing weapons to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to describe the new tank package before the announcement.
The $400 million package announced Wednesday also includes eight M88 recovery vehicles – tank-like tracked vehicles that can tow the Abrams if it gets stuck. Altogether, France, the UK, the US, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden will send hundreds of tanks and heavy armored vehicles to fortify Ukraine as it enters a new phase of the war and attempts to break through entrenched Russian lines.
The US tanks will be purchased through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which means it will take some time for the Ukrainian forces to receive the tanks and be able to deploy them on the battlefield. The Pentagon plans soon to begin training Ukrainian forces on the system outside of Ukraine.
The US has thousands of Abrams in stock. Still, it does not have "excess stock," said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. He said Ukraine's military will have to go through significant preparation to learn to operate, maintain and sustain the Abrams. It's a process that will take some months.
Using the assistance initiative funding route, instead of dipping into the existing US stockpile, means it is unlikely the tanks will be available to Ukraine before Russia's anticipated spring offensive.
Kirby declined to pinpoint when the Abrams will be delivered, but said the German-made Leopards are expected to make their way to Ukrainian forces more quickly. The deployment also suggests that the US, and allies, are girding to support Ukraine for a long war that shows no signs of coming to an end.
Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, said the US stock includes both the older variants and newer M1A2 Abrams variants, and when a "new" tank is needed, it starts with an older hull.
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