Although Ukraine still has a large number of ex-Soviet tanks in its arsenal, the strains of war have taken a heavy toll over the past year. 24, 2022, invasion, Kyiv had long sought Western tanks, only to be told, in effect, “Yeah, right.” These vehicles are notorious gas-guzzlers and logistical nightmares, and are not easy to repair by native armies at peace, much less foreign ones in the throes of combat. (Owen Humphreys/WPA Pool/Getty Images)Įven before Russia’s Feb. 15, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Britain was sending 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, a dam-break moment in the war and in Western military support for a country desperate to join both the European Union and NATO.īritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a community visit to the Eden Project North the United Kingdom. The most significant new commitment, however, came from the United Kingdom. Later in the month, the Swedes, now on the cusp of joining NATO along with Finland, announced another significant military consignment of 50 of their modern and extremely capable CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as an unspecified number of Archer self-propelled howitzers. contribution to Ukraine’s bolstered air defenses by donating their own Patriot missile batteries. ![]() The Germans and the Dutch further promised to match the U.S. Germany offered Marder infantry fighting vehicles and the United States said it was sending 50 - later increased to 100 - of its own prized Bradleys, adding two modern and capable armored systems long on Kyiv’s wish list. Pledges from Ukraine’s allies followed that same week. 4, Paris announced that it would be sending “light tanks” in the form of AMX-10 RC heavy reconnaissance vehicles to Kyiv. That question was seemingly settled early by the French. Without fortified vehicles, say military analysts, Kyiv’s ability to conduct combined-arms warfare for any forthcoming spring attack on the Russians will be difficult, as will any effort to stymie another massive attack by the Russians. More guns and bullets are on their way, but the outstanding question before and during the Ramstein conference was the will-they-won’t-they one of sending heavy armor to Ukraine. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) As at all auctions, what may pass for a public display of friendly one-upmanship masked a backroom fandango of heated argument, last-minute dealmaking and broken promises.Īrtillerymen of Ukraine's Armed Forces destroy the Russian invaders with the help of the German 155-mm FH70 howitzer, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine. The frenetic pace of reporting ahead of the meeting often had the air of an auction house, with NATO countries desperately trying to outdo one another for the extravagance of their aid packages and the fanfare with which they’re announced. Western tanks have long been one of Kyiv’s key requests and are now widely viewed as essential to allow the Ukrainian military to retake more territory in the coming months. ![]() No agreement was reached that would allow the various countries that owned and operated German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks to send these vehicles to the Ukrainians. In the weeks leading up to Friday’s conference of the two dozen nations of the Ukraine Contact Group at the U.S.-run Ramstein Air Base in southwest Germany, there has been a steady trickle of information about what military hardware allies were planning to send to the war-torn nation to help bolster its defenses and launch counteroffensives to repel Russia’s invasion.įor most participants who attended Friday’s meeting, the most coveted outcome eluded them. and German flags fly outside the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
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