Events in Russia and the world. Analytical publications. Materials of press conferences. Video and photo reportsUkraine may receive the first tanks within the framework of international agreements reached in January this year from Spain, Canada, Poland and France in the coming weeks.
Germany will be able to deliver Leopard 2 from its reserves no earlier than the end of March. And the US will need to assemble Abrams tanks first. According to foreign media, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive them no earlier than the end of 2023 or as early as 2024.
On January 25, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that he had decided to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and approve their re-export from NATO partner countries. US President Joe Biden also decided to transfer Abrams to Kiev.
TASS has collected basic information about when Ukraine can get modern Western tanks.
The decision on the supply of tanks
The authorities of the United States, Germany and other EU countries have been arguing over the issue of sending tanks to Ukraine over the past few weeks. According to the Politico newspaper, during negotiations with the Europeans, Washington tried to put pressure on this issue, believing that Kiev was receiving sufficient American military assistance, and was waiting for Germany to make its move. However, the States realized that Germany would not make concessions if Washington did not send Abrams.
As a result, as The Wall Street Journal clarified, Washington and Berlin agreed that the United States would transfer Abrams, and Germany would send a small number of Leopard 2 tanks, as well as allow other countries to supply German armored fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
Germany announced on January 25 that it would transfer 14 Leopard tanks of the 2A6 modification to Ukraine. The United States promised to send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Leopard also intends to allocate Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Finland to Ukraine. Poland will transfer 14 German tanks and 60 PT-91 Twardy tanks.
Manufacturing of Abrams in the USA
Washington decided to transfer tanks to Kiev as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). It involves the conclusion by the Ministry of Defense of contracts with manufacturers, because there are not enough such tanks in the Pentagon reserve. The United States decided to buy tanks now so that Ukrainians would have time to learn how to operate them while the machines are being manufactured. The tanks will arrive in many months, Politico wrote, citing an unnamed high-ranking official of the American administration.
This information was later confirmed by the Pentagon - the United States currently does not have additional M1A2 Abrams tanks in its arsenal to be sent to Ukraine. They will need to be purchased from manufacturers, which will take several months. The White House also clarified that "it will take many months before the tanks will be there." In addition, the US will need some time to establish fuel supplies for Abrams. However, the Pentagon will begin training Ukrainian tankers "very soon."
At the same time, the United States intends to send Ukraine tanks in the export model M1A2 without secret armor elements, including depleted uranium. Abrams in the USA is assembled only at one factory General Dynamics in Ohio and only 12 cars a month. Now the production line is occupied by tanks for Poland and Taiwan, which have ordered 250 and 108 vehicles, respectively. Because of this, according to Politico, tanks for the AFU will not be put into operation "for many months or, possibly, years."
According to The Washington Post, due to logistical difficulties, it will not be possible to organize the delivery of tanks until the end of the year.
Nearest deliveries
In the next few weeks to transfer to Ukraine Leopard will be able to Poland. This will happen as soon as Ukrainians are trained. Canada will also transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in the near future. Spain intends to send them by spring.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius reported that the vehicles could be delivered in three to four months, then he said it could happen "before the end of March."
Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Carvinho admitted that Leopard can be put into operation on the territory of Ukraine in two to three months. According to him, the timing depends on the training of the Ukrainian military, which may take several weeks.
Other tanks
The UK is going to supply Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 tanks, France with AMX-10 RC wheeled tanks.
At the same time, different delivery times are called in the UK. According to the First Deputy Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom Alex Chuck, Challenger 2 will arrive in Ukraine at the end of March. However, later the head of the Ministry of Defense Ben Wallace himself stated that they would be handed over in the summer or in May, perhaps closer to April 9 (on this day Protestants and Catholics celebrate Easter - approx. TASS). According to him, it is impossible to talk about the exact dates for security reasons. The training of Ukrainian servicemen in the management and maintenance of tanks began in the UK on Monday.
France hopes that the first wheeled tanks will be in Ukraine in February. However, Paris does not disclose exact data on the number and timing of deliveries of these machines. At the same time, France has not yet made a decision regarding Kiev's request to supply Leclerc tanks, the French Foreign Ministry said.