“Germany didn’t force me to change (my) mind,” Biden said. agreed to provide its Abrams, forced his hand. Washington believes it will be more productive to send the German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops will need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.īiden in an exchange with reporters bristled at the notion that Germany, which had declined to provide tanks until the U.S. had resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicles. stock includes both the older variants and newer M1A2 Abrams variants, and when a “new” tank is needed, it starts with an older hull.
The deployment also suggests that the U.S., and allies, are girding to support Ukraine for a long war that shows no signs of coming to an end.ĭoug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, said the U.S. 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. stockpile, means it is unlikely the tanks will be available to Ukraine before Russia’s anticipated spring offensive. Using the assistance initiative funding route, instead of dipping into the existing U.S. It’s a process that will take some months. He said Ukraine’s military will have to go through significant preparation to learn to operate, maintain and sustain the Abrams. Still, it does not have “excess stock,” said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. The Pentagon plans soon to begin training Ukrainian forces on the system outside of Ukraine.
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.
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