The US is allegedly preparing new large-scale arms shipments to the Russia-invaded Ukraine. The magazine “Politico” (online edition) reported yesterday, citing informed circles, that the US is considering, among other things, the delivery of armored vehicles with wheels of the Stryker type. Wheeled infantry fighting vehicles are used, for example, for reconnaissance and transport and are intended to offer a high level of protection against attacks.
The US is currently not expected to approve deliveries of its own Abrams main battle tanks, the report said. The reason is the extensive maintenance and training on the main battle tank. There was no official confirmation of this.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on US television last night (local time): “We don’t want to burden our Ukrainian partners with systems they can’t use, systems they can’t fix, systems they can’t “. be able to overtake.” The aim is to provide the armed forces with what they can use effectively on the battlefield.
Scholz makes the decision dependent on the US
Tomorrow Ukraine’s Western Allies will discuss further arms deliveries in Ramstein, Germany; so there must be more ads. According to information from the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made it clear in a telephone call to US President Joe Biden on Tuesday that Germany could only allow the delivery of Leopard war tanks if the US, in turn, supplied Ukraine with its own Abrams main battle tanks. Apparently, Biden still hadn’t made a decision in Tuesday’s conversation.
Ukraine has been trying to deliver heavier tanks for months. 20 countries around the world have the modern Leopard 2 tanks, produced in Germany. The German government must approve any transfer – no matter which country.
Estonia demands delivery of main battle tanks
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur called on Germany and other allies to deliver modern weapons systems to Ukraine, which was under attack from Russia – including Leopard tanks. This must be done “immediately”.
“The outcome of this war will determine the future of our common security,” Pevkur said. The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, considered the delivery of Leopard tanks to Kyiv to be late and a “moral obligation”.
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukraine will receive heavier weapons to fight Russia. From tomorrow’s meeting of Ukraine’s contact group at the US German base in Ramstein, the message will be that there will be “more advanced support, heavier weapons and more modern weapons”. It is a struggle for values and democracy.
Stoltenberg left it open whether there would be announcements about the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks. It is also conceivable that the Norwegian was alluding to the fact that Britain wants to supply Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
Poland warns
Polish President Andrzej Duda warned against insufficient commitments. He fears that the support provided is insufficient, he said. It is crucial to send additional weapons to Ukraine to stop the Russian offensive – especially modern tanks and missiles.
Stoltenberg pointed out that it would also be very dangerous for NATO if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to win this war. Then other authoritarian rulers got the message that brute force would get what they wanted. “It makes the world more dangerous and us more vulnerable.”
In this case, arms deliveries are the path to peace. The only way to a peace deal is to convince Putin that he cannot win on the battlefield.