US Joins Germany in Sending Battle Tanks to Ukraine

By Finn D

“Todaythefreeworldisunitedasneverbeforeforacommongoal – liberationofUkraine” - PresidentVolodymyrZelensky.

After previously saying that they wouldn’t allow Poland to send German-made tanks to the Ukraine, claiming that it would only escalate the situation, the German government has now agreed to send tanks, and has allowed any European country to send German-made tanks as well. The US has joined Germany in support of the Ukraine.

This decision follows months of Ukraine asking European allies to send military support to help them defend themselves and their country. The tanks are thought to be a crucial point for the situation in Ukraine, thought Russia claims that these tanks are just ‘blatant provocation’ (BBC) and that they would be destroyed.

“It is not an offensive threat to Russia” Joe Biden says, “This is about helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land.”

The US tanks are more highly specialised and are being bought from private contractors, and so it will probably be months before this £323m provision (including recovery vehicles) arrives in the Ukraine. The German tanks, however, should arrive much more quickly.

Troops in Ukraine are going to be trained to use these tanks once they are delivered, but President Zelensky says that they will need many more tanks (at least 300) in order to defeat Russian forces. Many other European countries are considering sending tanks as well.

This decision is a huge relief to Zelensky and the people of Ukraine, after many weeks of debating and other countries building pressure on Germany to send the tanks. We all hope that this global move to help the Ukraine will provide significant military advantage against Russia, to claim back Ukrainian territory and to return Ukrainians to their homes.