According to two US officials involved with the discussions, the country is putting the finishing touches on its plans to dispatch some 30 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
US-Made Tanks
CNN reports that the Biden administration may announce its decision to supply Ukraine with US-made tanks this week. Officials said it typically takes several months to train troops to utilize tanks successfully, and the exact delivery date remains unknown.
One of the officials told CNN that the US would also send a few recovery vehicles. These vehicles will be utilized to help repair tanks on the battlefield or move the tanks away to another area for maintenance.
CNN notes that the plan appears to end a diplomatic impasse with Germany over the supply of tanks to Ukraine. German authorities had explicitly said they would only send their Leopard 2 tanks to the war-torn country if the US also contributed its M-1 Abrams tank.
The US decision to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine sharply reverses its previously stated policy. CNN notes that it will permit Germany to send its tanks and opens the door for other European nations to agree to transfer additional Leopard 2 tanks.
Following diplomatic pressure, the German government declared on Wednesday, Jan. 25, that it will supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Germany had previously told the US that it would not deliver its Leopard tanks unless the US decided to send its own M1 Abrams tanks.
"Iterative Process"
The Biden administration has never completely ruled out the prospect of sending American tanks. Still, last week, US officials openly stated that the 70-ton M1 Abrams tanks should not be sent at this time since they are expensive and entail a long time of training.
Hence, the prospect of sending the tanks has been pushed frequently as a long-term solution, despite arguments from opponents that the time was ripe as the war rages on between Ukraine and Russia.
According to National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, the decision to send US-made Abrams tanks will be based on an "iterative process" evaluating Ukraine's needs, what assistance the US should send, and technical considerations in operating the tanks.
The UK has also declared that it will supply Ukraine with 12 Challenger 2 tanks, and CNN reported that there are 2,000 in Europe.
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