For months, Ukraine has been asking the West for such tanks, which can play a major role in offensives with which Ukraine wants to retake land from Russia. The delivery of tanks would mean a significant increase in military support from Western allies. They are hesitant about this, apparently apprehensive about Moscow’s reaction. Now that the British have taken the hurdle, President Zelenksy hopes that more countries will follow suit, he wrote in a response on Twitter.
In doing so, he looks in particular at Germany, the builder of the Leopard 2. Chancellor Scholz says that he will only consider deliveries of these tanks to Ukraine if the Americans send their M1 Abrams tanks, Washington is not making any preparations yet.
Poland has indicated that it wants to provide Leopards, but President Duda adjusted expectations last week by saying that his country will only donate tanks in cooperation with other countries. More announcements may follow this Friday, when Ukraine’s allies meet in the German town of Ramstein for talks about the war.
armored vehicles
In early January, France, Germany and the United States promised to send armored infantry fighting vehicles. It concerns forty German Marders, fifty American Bradleys and an unknown number of French AMX-10 RCs. Such vehicles are lighter than tanks and are largely intended to transport soldiers near the front or during an offensive. Actual tanks were then still a step too far.
According to the British government, it is time to take the step anyway: it sees opportunities for Ukraine to inflict heavy blows on the Russian army, which is still struggling with logistical problems and low morale. It is necessary “to seize this moment with a strengthening of global military and diplomatic support to Ukraine,” the government statement said.
Exactly how many tanks London is sending, and when, has not yet been announced. On Monday, Sky News reported on an insider basis that Sunak’s government was considering supplying 10 tanks. Ukraine has previously asked its Western allies for 300 tanks. The British government also wants to send more artillery systems, Sunak has promised Zelensky.
The Challenger 2 is the main battle tank of the British army and was used extensively during the war in Iraq. The vehicle weighs more than 60 tons and can reach speeds of 59 kilometers per hour. These types of tanks act as thrusting weapons: they can get relatively close to the enemy due to their thick armor and speed and blow up enemy positions or other tanks with their heavy guns.
Soviet tanks
European allies, including Poland, have provided Ukraine with about 400 tanks dating back to the Soviet era. Ninety of these were bought by the Netherlands and the United States from the Czech Republic and then sent to Ukraine. However, these are considered inferior to more modern tanks, which are more manoeuvrable, more accurate and better protected, among other things.