White House ‘leaning’ to sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine: report
The main American battle tank could soon face Russian armor.
The Biden administration is seriously considering sending M1 Abrams tanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of a deal to break the deadlock between Kyiv’s Western allies, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The delivery of a “significant” number of M1s would be announced alongside a commitment from Germany and Poland to send their own German-made Leopard 2 tanks, the newspaper reported.
An official announcement could take place later this week.
The inclusion of US armor could break the standoff between Poland and Germany over the supply of tanks to Ukraine before spring, when fighting is expected to intensify.
Ukraine, which relies largely on the same arsenal of modified Soviet-era tanks as its Russian enemies, has been asking for NATO-made combat vehicles for months.
To date, only the UK has pledged so-called main battle tanks to Kyiv, agreeing in principle to supply 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks.
The United States pledged to give Ukraine M2 Bradley fighting vehicles – tracked armored personnel carriers with a turret-mounted gun – but despite their tank-like appearance, the nimble Bradleys did not the firepower of a real battle tank.
The Pentagon has previously expressed reluctance to send the M1 Abrams to Ukraine, citing the tank’s unique maintenance challenges.
Unlike the Leopard 2 and Challenger 2, which use typical diesel engines, the American-built Abrams uses a gas turbine engine that runs on jet fuel.
An American Abrams tank being unloaded after arriving in Poland. The announcement would be accompanied by a commitment from Poland and Germany to provide their own tanks.
The United States has sent about $26.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began.
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So far, only the UK has agreed to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks.
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Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said last week that the different engine made the tank much more difficult to maintain. “The Abrams are more of a sustainment issue,” she said.
The United States has sent about $26.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine, both from its own stockpiles and through arms purchases with funds approved by Congress, since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.