It took months of wrangling and it nearly didn’t happen ― but Ukraine will soon get some of the most formidable tanks ever built.
At the start of the war in February 2022, Western aid focused on sending either equipment the Ukrainian military already used or items like night-vision and body armour that could quickly be assimilated.
But that escalated. American howitzers, British missiles, European armoured personnel carriers and Turkish drones soon flowed.
The American-made HIMARS rocket artillery system with a potential range of hundreds of kilometres was the most advanced delivery.
And for a long time, there were still no tanks.
But then that changed.
This week on Beyond the Headlines, host James Haines-Young takes a closer look at how and why the West suddenly agreed to send its best battle tanks to Ukraine and what this means for the war as it approaches its one-year anniversary.
We’ll also discuss the development with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UAE Demitro Senik and hear from him about the toll fighting is having on his homeland.
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Ukraine has received about a dozen American-built Himars multiple rocket launchers and has used them to strike Russian ammunition depots. The Olympian / AP -
Ukraine is asking western allies to provide it with German Leopard 2 tanks in its war with Russia. EPA -
Staring down the barrel of a Leopard 2 tank, pictured in Estonia. AP -
Kyiv is keen to acquire Leopard 2 tanks because they are among Europe's best and widely used, meaning spare parts and ammunition can be easily sourced. AFP -
The Polish government in January 2023 signed a deal to buy 116 Abrams tanks from the US. AFP -
Ukraine would also like to have Abrams battle tanks, although they require more crew training and specialised fuel. EPA -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on his western allies to speed up military support for his country. AFP -
British soldiers pictured with a Challenger 2 battle tank in Estonia. The UK is set to give Ukraine 14 Challengers. EPA -
Britain is also offering Kyiv AS-90 self-propelled guns. EPA -
These would be part of a package including further armoured vehicles and 600 Brimstone missiles. AP
