President Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz cut a deal on Tuesday: Biden agreed to send Ukraine some Abrams M1 tanks; in response, Scholz agreed to send Ukraine some of its Leopard 2 tanks—and to let several European allies send Ukraine some of their Leopards, bought from Germany, as well.
Scholz had resisted sending Leopards, fearful of alienating constituents or provoking Russia into escalating the war further. He had demanded that the United States send some of its main battle tanks as a precondition.
Now the terms have been agreed upon: The U.S. will send 31 tanks, enough to fill a single Ukrainian tank battalion—a substantial but not enormous number—and those will arrive not in weeks, but in several months, and possibly not for another year. This is because the tanks will be ordered from the General Dynamics factory, which will have to build them from scratch, and will not be drawn from America’s existing stockpile, though the U.S. Army has about 4,400 Abrams tanks, many of them already in Europe.
At a background briefing Wednesday morning, a senior administration official said that the Abrams tanks’ main purpose will be “to boost Ukraine’s long-term defenses,” emphasizing the phrase “long-term,” and adding that they would enhance Ukraine’s security for the “months and years to come.” By contrast, the official said, the Leopards, provided by Germany and other European countries, would cover Ukraine’s “short-term” defense needs. Some of these tanks will arrive in Ukraine in as soon as a few weeks.
Scholz announced that Germany would send 14 Leopard tanks right away, as a first step. In all, Germany and other European countries—including Poland, Spain, Norway, Finland, and possibly others—will send about 80 tanks, enough for two battalions plus some. Britain has also agreed to send 14 of its Challenger tanks, which are similar to the Abrams and the Leopard. The U.S. and the Netherlands are together sending 90 refurbished Soviet-built T-72 tanks, similar to those that Ukraine—a former Soviet republic—has been using.
The 300 Western tanks will be used immediately to "mount an effective counteroffensive against Russian troops and thus regain Ukrainian territory that Russians have captured". :>) The U.S. Abrams tanks won't arrive in Ukraine for likely another YEAR, so roughly Spring 2024 (if Ukraine lasts that long)... and then aren't meant to be used on the front lines. See where this is going?
If the German, Polish, Spanish, British, etc... tanks get completely wiped out over the next year, the U.S. can always decide NOT to deliver the Abrams tanks later. Stuff happens.
Interesting article, but here is the logic (and timing) of sending the tanks.
Article - Slate.com
President Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz cut a deal on Tuesday: Biden agreed to send Ukraine some Abrams M1 tanks; in response, Scholz agreed to send Ukraine some of its Leopard 2 tanks—and to let several European allies send Ukraine some of their Leopards, bought from Germany, as well.
Scholz had resisted sending Leopards, fearful of alienating constituents or provoking Russia into escalating the war further. He had demanded that the United States send some of its main battle tanks as a precondition.
Now the terms have been agreed upon: The U.S. will send 31 tanks, enough to fill a single Ukrainian tank battalion—a substantial but not enormous number—and those will arrive not in weeks, but in several months, and possibly not for another year. This is because the tanks will be ordered from the General Dynamics factory, which will have to build them from scratch, and will not be drawn from America’s existing stockpile, though the U.S. Army has about 4,400 Abrams tanks, many of them already in Europe.
At a background briefing Wednesday morning, a senior administration official said that the Abrams tanks’ main purpose will be “to boost Ukraine’s long-term defenses,” emphasizing the phrase “long-term,” and adding that they would enhance Ukraine’s security for the “months and years to come.” By contrast, the official said, the Leopards, provided by Germany and other European countries, would cover Ukraine’s “short-term” defense needs. Some of these tanks will arrive in Ukraine in as soon as a few weeks.
Scholz announced that Germany would send 14 Leopard tanks right away, as a first step. In all, Germany and other European countries—including Poland, Spain, Norway, Finland, and possibly others—will send about 80 tanks, enough for two battalions plus some. Britain has also agreed to send 14 of its Challenger tanks, which are similar to the Abrams and the Leopard. The U.S. and the Netherlands are together sending 90 refurbished Soviet-built T-72 tanks, similar to those that Ukraine—a former Soviet republic—has been using.
The 300 Western tanks will be used immediately to "mount an effective counteroffensive against Russian troops and thus regain Ukrainian territory that Russians have captured". :>) The U.S. Abrams tanks won't arrive in Ukraine for likely another YEAR, so roughly Spring 2024 (if Ukraine lasts that long)... and then aren't meant to be used on the front lines. See where this is going? If the German, Polish, Spanish, British, etc... tanks get completely wiped out over the next year, the U.S. can always decide NOT to deliver the Abrams tanks later. Stuff happens.
...indeed....