Biden: US to send Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks

The US will send Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks, President Joe Biden has confirmed during a speech at the White House. 

Biden noted that it would take time for the tanks to reach the battlefield, seeing as they have to make sure that Ukrainian servicemen are fully prepared. The US will start their training as soon as possible, Biden said.

CNN and Bloomberg’s journalist Jordan Fabian previously reported the same, citing US officials.

“The Biden administration will send Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks in a deal valued at $400 million, two officials familiar with the matter said,” Fabian tweeted. 

CNN clarifies that the decision is being finalised. Still, it is unknown when the tanks will be used on the frontlines, seeing as it takes several months to train servicemen that can operate the Abrams tanks.

Earlier in the day, Reuters claimed, citing US officials, that President Joe Biden could announce sending the M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine on 25 January. According to another source of the agency, the US could supply Ukraine with around 30 Abrams tanks in the coming months. The process can take months and even years, Reuters notes.

Politico previously reported that the US Administration plans to send Ukraine 30 M1 Abrams tanks. Washington’s agreement to supply Kyiv with the Abrams tanks was Germany’s condition for allowing other countries to hand the Leopard 2 tanks over to Ukraine.

Earlier today, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany and the allies would supply Ukraine with 112 Leopard 2 tanks in total.

Kyiv is set to start receiving the Leopard tanks in three months. The chancellor also confirmed that the first step would be Germany sending 14 tanks to Ukraine, which the German government had announced earlier in the day. Germany will also allow other countries to supply Ukraine with the Leopard tanks.