The American Abrams М1А2 tanks, which the White House promised to provide, will not arrive in Ukraine until the end of 2023.
This was reported by The Washington Post.
According to the statement, a batch of 31 Abrams М1А2 tanks intended for Ukraine will not be taken from the armed reserves of the United States. Washington intends to purchase them within the framework of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. At the same time, as journalists predict, Abrams М1А2 tanks will arrive in the country at the end of 2023 or in early 2024.
The publication explains such terms by the fact that the United States needs to create combat equipment from scratch, the armor of which will not consist of the usual depleted uranium. The interlocutors told the authors of the material that uranium armor plates are secret military technology, so the Pentagon does not want the Kremlin to know it in the event of the seizure of Abrams М1А2 tanks.
The publication also recalls a statement by the White House national security representative John Kirby, who separately warned that the supply of equipment could last for several months.
The White House leader declined to answer when asked if Abrams М1А2 tanks would be shipped by the end of 2023, saying Washington was still drawing up plans of assistance provision.
The material says that the head of the Department of State, Antony Blinken, figured out how to provide combat equipment to Ukraine, bypassing the ultimatum of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The German politician claimed that Germany would agree to supply its Leopard 2 tanks if the U.S. sent Abrams M1A2. According to reporters, Blinken suggested that the White House include equipment in the long-term package of assistance to Ukraine, forcing Scholz to fulfill his promise.
A few days earlier, the Pentagon, commenting on the provision of the Abrams M1A2 party, assured that the United States would be supplying Ukraine with tanks until Vladimir Putin ends the full-scale war.
Recall that on January 25, Biden announced the transfer of 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that they plan to transfer to Ukraine a modern modification of Abrams M1A2 tanks, and not A1, the stocks of which are available to the U.S. military.
On January 25, the German government announced the decision to send Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine.
According to the German defense minister, the first Leopards will arrive to Ukraine in three months.
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