In reversal, US poised to approve Abrams tanks for Ukraine

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the deployment of Western tanks would trigger “unambiguously negative” consequences.

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World News

January 24, 2023 - 5:11 PM

In this 2016 file photo, U.S. soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division move to their battle position in an Abrams M1 tank during an exercise in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The United States is expected to send Abrams M1 tanks to Ukraine to aid in its battle against Russia. (U.S. Army via Abaca Press/TNS)

WASHINGTON (AP) — In what would be a reversal, the Biden administration is poised to approve sending M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday, as international reluctance to send tanks to the battlefront against the Russians begins to erode. The decision could be announced as soon as Wednesday, though it could take months or years for the tanks to be delivered.

U.S. officials said details are still being worked out. One official said the tanks would be bought under an upcoming Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, which provides longer-range funding for weapons and equipment to be purchased from commercial vendors.

The U.S. announcement is expected to come on Wednesday in coordination with an announcement by Germany that it will approve Poland’s request to transfer German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to one official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not yet been made public.

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