President Joe Biden said Wednesday his administration will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, although the heavy armored weaponry Kyiv has sought for months won’t arrive anytime soon.
As recently as last week, the Biden administration said it would not send the M1 Abrams tanks, citing logistical and maintenance challenges with the complex machines. Instead, U.S. officials urged Germany to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks and allow other countries to do so.
Ukraine needs “to be able to counter Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term,” Biden said as he announced the decision from the White House on Wednesday. “They need to improve their ability to maneuver on open terrain. And they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term.”
