On January 25, 2023, US President Joe Biden announced the provision of 31 M1 Abrams tanks (a Soviet-style battalion kit) to Ukraine as military assistance, which was the first decision of the American government to send tanks to Ukraine. According to a press release from the US Department of Defense, this new package of US military assistance to Ukraine totaling $ 400 million, allocated as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), will include 31 M1 Abrams tanks (without specifying a specific modification yet) with ammunition and eight M88A2 armored recovery vehicles Hercules, as well as related equipment.
M1A1 AIM Abrams Tank of the Australian Army (c) Ministry of Defense of AustraliaThe total amount of US military assistance officially allocated to Kiev since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 now amounts to more than $27.8 billion, and the total amount of US military assistance to Ukraine since 2014 has exceeded $29.9 billion.
The US Department of Defense confirmed that the tanks will be provided to Ukraine as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), that is, they will be ordered by industry, and not transferred from the presence of the US armed forces. Thus, apparently, our opinion is confirmed that in full accordance with the established American practice of supplying Abrams tanks for export, Ukraine will receive a certain export version of tanks converted from Abrams tanks from storage. This also indicates that Ukraine will receive Abrams tanks only after a fairly significant period of time, and some American media have already called a period of up to a year.
CNBC reported that Abrams tanks of the M1A1 modification will be transferred to Ukraine. An unnamed senior Biden administration official also confirmed that the delivery of these tanks to Ukraine will take a long time: "We are talking about months, not weeks," another American representative said that the training of Ukrainian personnel for these tanks, which will also take several months, will take place outside Ukraine.
The M1A1 tanks in export version were manufactured for Egypt and were also supplied to Australia, Iraq and Morocco. In all the last three cases, the export modifications of the M1A1 were converted from M1/M1A1 tanks from storage, and if the information about the plans to supply Ukraine with the M1A1 modification is correct, then apparently the tanks for Ukraine will be made in the same way.
In a statement, US President Joe Biden literally says:
Yesterday marked 11 months since Russia's brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine; 11 months during which the Ukrainian people demonstrated to Putin and the world the full strength of their courage and unwavering determination to live freely.
And at every stage of this terrible war, the American people have been strong and unwavering in their support.
Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress stood together. The United States has worked closely with our allies and partners around the world to make sure that the Ukrainian people are in the strongest possible position to protect their nation, their families from the brutal - really brutal aggression of Russia. We haven't seen this for a long time.
The United States and Europe are completely united.
This morning I had a long conversation with our NATO allies - German Chancellor Scholz, French President Macron, Prime Minister Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Meloni - to continue our close coordination in our full support for Ukraine. Because you all know - I have been talking about this for a long time - there are expectations on the part of Russia that we will split, that we will not be able to remain united. But we are completely, completely, completely united.
With the approach of spring, Ukrainian forces are practicing the defense of the held territory and preparing for additional counter-offensives. To liberate their land, they must be able to withstand Russia's changing tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near future.
They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain.
And they need a sustained ability to deter and defend against Russian aggression in the long term.
The Secretary of State and the Minister of Defense are standing behind me. They are deeply involved in all these efforts.
Armored vehicles, as General Austin will tell you, are particularly critical. And that is why the United States has transferred hundreds of armored combat vehicles to date, including more than 500 as part of the assistance package that we announced last Friday [January 19].
And today - today I announce that the United States will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, which is equivalent to one Ukrainian battalion.
Defense Secretary Austin recommended the move because it would enhance Ukraine's ability to defend its territory and achieve its strategic goals.
Abrams tanks are the most combat-ready tanks in the world. They are also extremely difficult to operate and maintain, which is why we also provide Ukraine with the spare parts and equipment necessary to effectively support these tanks on the battlefield.
And we will begin - as soon as possible, we will begin to train Ukrainian troops on these issues of logistics, logistics and maintenance.
The delivery of these tanks to the battlefield will take time, time that we will see - we will use it to make sure that the Ukrainians are fully ready to integrate Abrams tanks into their defense.
We have also closely coordinated this announcement with our allies.
The American contribution joins others previously announced by other countries - [regarding weapons] that will be more accessible and easier to integrate for use on the battlefield in the coming weeks and months.
I am grateful to Chancellor Scholz for providing German Leopard 2 tanks and leading efforts to organize the European contribution of two tank battalions for Ukraine.
I want to thank the Chancellor for his leadership and firm commitment to our collective efforts to support Ukraine.
Germany has really stepped up, and the Chancellor has been a strong, strong voice for unity - a close friend - and for the level of effort that we are going to continue.
Supporting Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity is an international obligation. Not just ours - it's a worldwide commitment.
Last week in Germany, Defense Minister Austin convened a Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine for the eighth time. This group consists of about 50 nations - 50 nations - each of which makes a significant contribution to the preservation of the integrity of Ukraine, each of which is fully committed to ensuring that Ukraine remains strong and independent and can protect itself from threats and violence from Russia.
I want to thank every member of this coalition for continuing to be active.
The UK recently announced that it is transferring Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. France is providing AMX-10 armored combat vehicles.
In addition to the Leopard tanks that Germany has, Germany, as well as the United States, is sending a Patriot missile battery. The Netherlands provides Patriot missiles and launchers.
France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Norway and other countries have donated critical air defense systems to help ensure the safety of the Ukrainian sky and save the lives of innocent civilians who are literally the target - the target of Russian aggression.
Poland is sending armored vehicles. Sweden transfers infantry fighting vehicles free of charge. Italy gives artillery. Denmark and Estonia are sending howitzers. Latvia supplies more Stinger missiles. Lithuania provides anti-aircraft guns. And Finland recently announced its largest security assistance package to date.
You may remember when I was asked recently what I thought was going to happen. And I said - I let Putin know. He thought that he would come to the Finlandization of Europe. Well, he now has the nationalization of Finland. He got something he never planned.
Together with our allies and partners, we have sent more than 3,000 armored vehicles, more than 8,000 [800] artillery systems, more than 2 million artillery ammunition and more than 50 modern multiple rocket launchers, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, all in order to help Ukraine resist the brutal aggression that comes from Russia.
And look, today's statement is based on the hard work and commitment of countries around the world, led by the United States of America, to help Ukraine protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
That's what it's about: to help Ukraine protect and defend the Ukrainian land. This is not an offensive threat to Russia. We are not creating an offensive threat to Russia.
If the Russian troops return to Russia and they stay there - where they belong, then this war will end today.
This is what we all want: a just and lasting end to this war.
You know, we will not allow any nation to steal the territory of a neighbor by force.
Our conditions preserve the sovereignty of Russia - and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and respect the UN Charter, these are our conditions that we are working on.
And, you know, these are the conditions under which we all signed up and for which 143 countries voted at the United Nations General Assembly last October.
Thus, the United States, standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies and partners, will continue to do everything possible to support Ukraine.
Putin expected that the resolve of Europe and the United States would weaken. He expected that our support for Ukraine would eventually collapse. He was wrong. He was wrong. And he was wrong from the very beginning, and continues to be wrong.
We are united. America is united, as is the whole world.
And as we now approach the one-year mark of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we remain as united and resolute as ever in our beliefs and our cause.
These tanks are further evidence of our unwavering and unwavering commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skills of the Ukrainian forces.
As I said to President Zelensky when he was here - and today, by the way, is his birthday - in December: we are with you as long as it takes, Mr. President.
Ukrainians are waging an eternal struggle against aggression and domination. This is a battle that Americans have proudly fought over and over again, and this is a battle in which we will make sure that Ukrainians are well equipped to fight, too.
It's about freedom. Freedom for Ukraine, freedom everywhere. It's about the world we want to live in and the world we want to leave to our children.
So may the Lord preserve the brave Ukrainian defenders of their country, who support the flame of freedom as brightly as we do.
