US and Germany to send tanks in major boost to Kyiv

Coordinated Western effort to counter Russian aggression

- ANDREW FEINBERG

Germany and the United States will send battle tanks to Ukraine as part of a coordinated Western effort to boost Kyiv as Russia’s invasion enters its 12th month.

Washington will provide 31 new M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks accompanied by eight M88 recovery vehicles - heavily-armoured tow trucks used to rescue tanks that have been disabled or damaged in battle. The US announcement came hours after Germany finally committed to sending 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its own stocks. Berlin had said the Leopards would not be sent unless the US put its Abrams on the table, given the likely response from Russia.

"This is the result of intensive consultations, once again, with our allies and international partners," said the German chancellor Olaf Scholz. "It was right, and it is important that we didn't let ourselves be driven into making the decision."

In the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Joe Biden said he was taking the step of providing Ukraine with tanks at the recommendation of the US defence secretary Lloyd Austin. "With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for counteroffensives to liberate their land.