Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the upcoming tank training for Ukrainian forces is a marker of “huge progress.”
“I am confident that this equipment and the training that is accompanying it will put Ukraine’s forces in a position to continue to succeed on the battlefield,” Austin said during a press briefing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Austin made the remarks following the 11th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which is made up of about 50 allies supporting the nation in its fight against Russia.
The U.S. first announced the Abrams tanks for Ukraine in January, following months of pressure to supply the heavy combat vehicles. The announcement opened a path forward for Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks.
Washington is sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. The tanks slated for Kyiv will include refurbished versions of older models in order to get them to the embattled country faster.
The tanks will land in the German town of Grafenwöhr, where about 250 Ukrainians will embark on a 10-week training course with the heavy combat vehicles.
At the press briefing, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said 2,500 Ukrainians are currently undergoing other training operations in Germany and close to 9,000 have completed training objectives.
Milley said the Abrams tanks “will make a difference” in the war, which has largely stalemated in eastern Ukraine, and that Kyiv will prevail.
“Unlike Ukrainian forces, which are highly motivated to fight for their country, to fight for their freedom, their democracy and their way of life,” Milley said, “the Russians lack in leadership, they lack will and morale is poor.”
Ukraine is also set to soon receive Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and Challenger 2 tanks from England.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced a maintenance and service center in Poland to repair and maintain the Leopard tanks.
“The ‘armored fist’ formed by collaborative efforts will thwart the terrorist regime’s aggression against Europe and the entire free world,” Reznikov tweeted.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
