A Challenger II Main Battle Tank at Royal Tank Regiment HQ, Tidworth, Wiltshire
(Picture: PA)America hailed a “decisive moment” for Ukraine on Friday as key allies pledged a wave of extra military support for a spring offensive by its forces.
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin stressed that the West had to “dig deeper” rather than “slow down” in its backing for Kyiv to turn the tide firmly against Vladimir Putin in his 11-month war.
He was speaking at the start of a meeting in Germany of Nato and defence ministers from around 50 countries on how to boost military support for Ukraine.
Britain has taken the lead on supplying tanks with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace having announced that 14 Challenger IIs would be sent. “It is crucial that we build on this momentum supported by our international partners, who are determined like us, to ensure that Putin’s illegal and unprovoked invasion fails,” he said.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky is pleading for hundreds of tanks from the West so that his forces can go on the offensive to push Putin’s army out of the country. “We have to act quickly,” he urged. Germany was still refusing, at least by mid-morning, to allow German-built Leopard tanks to be supplied to Ukraine, fearing an escalation of the conflict.
But Mr Austin stressed: “Russia is regrouping, recruiting, and trying to re-equip.
“This is not a moment to slow down. It’s a time to dig deeper.
“This is a decisive moment for Ukraine.”
Poland has signalled it will send around a dozen German-built Leopard tanks to Ukraine, even if Germany refuses to give consent.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski told RMF FM radio: “If there is strong resistance, we will be ready to take even such non-standard action ... but let’s not anticipate the facts.”
Other allies are sending new military packages, including heavy artillery, with the Netherlands not ruling out supplying fighter jets.
Britain is despatching 600 more Brimstone missile.
America has announced new military assistance for Ukraine valued at up to $2.5 (£2) billion, including hundreds of armoured vehicles and support for Ukraine’s air defence.
German government sources have said Berlin would move on the Leopard tanks issue if Washington agreed to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
But Abrams tanks were not included in Thursday’s announcement by the US.
Germany’s new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius left open the possibility that Berlin may not insist on the link between Abrams and Leopards both being deployed.
“Nobody rules out that the Leopard tank can be delivered - or approval can be given for deliveries of other European partners,” he said.
Washington sources say the Ukrainian military would struggle to operate a fleet of Abrams and ensure they were properly resourced and maintained, partly given their fuel needs.
The Kremlin said Western countries supplying additional tanks to Ukraine would not change the course of the conflict and that they would add to the problems of the Ukrainian people.
