Ukrainian officials have renewed calls for this America After the two Western allies reversed their decision to supply tanks, Germany to supply them with fighter jets in their current fight with Russia.
The US and Germany had previously said they would not send armored fighting vehicles but changed their minds after further negotiations, eventually agreeing to send 30 Abrams M1 tanks and 14 Leopard 2 tanks respectively.
Ukrainian officials are now negotiating a “fast track” for long-range missiles and military aircraft, a top aide to the Ukrainian president said Saturday.
Michael Podoliak, a consultant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine’s backers in the West said they “understand how war develops” and need aircraft capable of covering the tanks they have promised to send.
Alarms sound across Ukraine amid Russian drone strikes; Western tank training to start with
An F16 fighter jet takes part in a NATO air shielding exercise near an air base in Lask, central Poland, on October 12, 2022.
(Getty Images via RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP)
Podoliak said some of Ukraine’s Western partners maintain a “conservative” approach to sending advanced weapons “due to fear of changes in the international architecture.”
“We have to work with it. We have to show (our allies) the true picture of this war,” Podoliak said in comments to the online video channel Freedom. “We need to speak rationally, for example, ‘This and this will reduce deaths, reduce the burden on infrastructure. This will reduce security threats to the European continent, it will localize warfare.’ We’re doing it.”
Podolyak did not identify any allied countries.
It has received its own weapons and equipment from Russia China, North Korea and Iran, Western countries have accused Kiev of supplying sophisticated weapons. Russian officials say supplying arms to Ukraine is “direct involvement.”
Germany and the United States announced on Wednesday that they would send advanced battle tanks to Ukraine along with Bradley and mortar vehicles and train Ukrainian troops to use them in an effort to help Kiev make progress on the stalemate.
The decision was met with outcry and criticism from the Kremlin, which continues to criticize Western intervention.
F16 fighter jets take part in a NATO air shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022.
(Getty Images via RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP)
An F16 fighter jet takes part in a NATO air shielding exercise near an air base in Lask, central Poland, on October 12, 2022.
(Getty Images via RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP)
Ukraine-Russia war: Germany agrees to send 2 battalions of Leopard 2 tanks after heavy pressure
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Ukrainian troops will learn how to operate German-made Panther 2 tanks at a training base in Germany by the end of this month.
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine He took to Twitter on Wednesday to celebrate the start of training.
An F16 fighter jet takes part in a NATO air shielding exercise near an air base in Lask, central Poland, on October 12, 2022.
(Getty Images via RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP)
F16 fighter jets take part in a NATO air shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022.
(Getty Images via RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP)
Zelensky also thanked the United States for its military assistance.
“Thanks @POTUS for another powerful decision to deliver Abrams [Ukraine]. With gratitude [the U.S.] People lead support!” he wrote on Wednesday. “This is an important step on the road to victory. Today the free world is united like never before for a common goal – liberation [Ukraine].”
“We are moving forward,” he added.
US May Deliver ‘Significant Number’ of Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, Despite Pentagon Misgivings
In another tweet, he wrote: “Further expansion of German main battle tanks, defense support and training missions, green light for partners to provide similar weapons. Asked about these important and timely decisions in a call. [German chancellor] Olaf Scholes. Thank you very much.”
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The Russia-Ukraine invasion will reach its one-year anniversary next month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
