US to Send Dozens of Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, Biden Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – US President Joe Biden stated that the country will provide Abrams tanks to Ukraine as Washington and its European allies increase their military assistance to Kiev.
Biden said on Wednesday that the Abrams tanks, which he described as the “most capable” in the world, will help Ukraine defend its territorial integrity against what he called Russia’s “brutal aggression” against its neighbor, Al Jazeera reported.
Biden told reporters at the White House that the tanks highlight America’s “enduring” commitment to Ukraine.
“They need to be able to counter Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term,” Biden said of Ukrainian forces.
“They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain, and they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term.”
The US move comes less than 24 hours after Germany announced that it agreed to send 14 of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine after weeks of debate over the decision.
On Wednesday, Biden lauded the German move and stressed Western unity against Russia, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin failed in his efforts to drive a wedge between the US and European powers.
The White House said earlier in the day that Biden held a phone call with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom to discuss the allies’ “close coordination on support for Ukraine”.
The US president acknowledged delivering the tanks to Ukraine will “take time”, saying that Washington will use that time to ensure that Ukrainians are “fully prepared” to integrate the fighting vehicles into their defenses.
The US has previously trained Ukrainian forces on new weapon systems outside Ukraine.
Russia launched its “special operation” in Ukraine on February 24 – 11 months ago – after a months-long standoff that saw Moscow amass troops near the Ukrainian borders as Putin demanded an end to NATO expansion into former Soviet republics.
Russian officials have said that sending arms to Ukraine prolongs and intensifies the conflict. On Wednesday, the Russian embassy in Berlin warned that supplying tanks to Ukraine would lead to a “permanent escalation”.
Support for Ukraine in the US Congress has been overwhelming and bipartisan, but some far-right Republicans have been increasingly skeptical of continuing aid to Kiev.
