Infantry fighting vehicles, air defense systems and lots of ammunition: The USA is supporting Ukraine with other weapons in the war against Russia. However, Ukraine is still waiting in vain for main battle tanks.
Shortly before the meeting of the Ukraine contact group in Ramstein, the US announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine in the amount of 2.5 billion dollars (2.3 billion euros). The latest aid package does not include main battle tanks, but an additional 59 Bradley tanks, 90 Stryker armored vehicles, Avenger air defense systems and thousands of rounds of ammunition, as the US Department of Defense announced on Thursday (local time). In his own words, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects “strong decisions” from the meeting in Ramstein.
Washington had already announced a first delivery of 50 Bradley tanks last week. Together with the other Bradleys and Stryker vehicles that have now been announced, two complete brigades could be equipped, the Pentagon said.
US sends billions in military aid to Ukraine
The US is the main supporter of Ukraine’s defense against the Russian war of aggression. With the latest package, the country’s military aid to Kyiv totals more than $26.7 billion since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February last year.
Tank deliveries are likely to be the central topic of the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at the US Ramstein Air Force Base in Rhineland-Palatinate on Friday. Representatives from around 50 countries will take part in the meeting, including all NATO member states and other supporter countries of Ukraine.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is under pressure to give up his opposition to a delivery of Leopard main battle tanks to Kyiv. Most recently, Poland and other EU and NATO countries had agreed to provide the Ukrainian army with German-made Leopard tanks. However, the federal government would have to give the green light for this.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas told AFP that “some countries” have already decided to supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks. More information should follow at the Ukraine contact group meeting in Ramstein, Anusauskas said.
Pistorius expects quick decision on Leopard tanks
The new Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said on ZDF that no one ruled out “that Leopard tanks can be delivered, or that approval, approval for the delivery of other European partners can be granted”. When asked whether Germany would give the go-ahead for the tank deliveries at the Ramstein meeting, Pistorius said in an ARD interview on Thursday evening: “That will become clear in the next few hours or tomorrow morning.”
“Now we are waiting for a decision from a European capital that will set in motion the prepared chains of cooperation on tanks,” said Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in his video message to Berlin. “I believe that the strength of the German leadership will remain unchanged.”
Source: Stern
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