First US Abrams tanks arrive in Ukraine

The first U.S. Abrams tanks pledged to Ukraine have arrived in the country and are being prepared to send into battle, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Monday.

“Good news from Defense Minister [Rustem] Umerov. Abrams are already in Ukraine and are preparing to reinforce our brigades. I am grateful to our allies for fulfilling the agreements!” Zelensky wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Zelensky added that Ukraine is “looking for new contracts and expanding the geography of supply.”

The Pentagon confirmed the tanks arrived in Ukraine, with a spokesperson saying “the mere presence of Abrams tanks serves as a potent deterrent.”

“By having these tanks in their arsenal, the Ukrainian army can more effectively discourage aggressive actions,” the Defense Department spokesperson told The Hill. “We will continue to focus on what we can do to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield and protect its people.” 

President Biden in January agreed to send 31 Abrams tanks to Kyiv to help Ukrainian troops push back against a Russian invasion. 

The decision was a major turnaround — the Biden administration initially argued the tanks would not greatly help Ukraine because they were difficult to maintain and operate and would take months to procure. 

The U.S. military has since trained Ukrainian forces to use and maintain Abrams. The military is also set to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets, which the Netherlands and Denmark plan to send to Ukraine.

Washington has provided billions of dollars in aid to Kyiv amid the war, with the administration last week sending Congress a supplemental funding request that includes another $24 billion in military, humanitarian and financial assistance for Ukraine.