US says M1 Abrams tanks are for ‘Ukraine's self-defense’

WASHINGTON

The US stressed Wednesday that it is providing M1 Abrams battle tanks for “Ukraine's self-defense” after President Joe Biden announced that it would be sending dozens of the tanks to the East European country.

“There has been one, and really only one condition placed on it. That is the fact that everything we provided is for Ukraine's self-defense,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters during a daily briefing.

He said the systems they provide to Ukraine are to enable them to “take on effectively and successfully” the Russian forces that cross the borders of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory.

“That is the case with today's latest announcements of Abrams tanks. It's the case with every other system,” he stressed.

The condition applies to all systems such as the Stinger and Javelin missiles that the US has provided to Ukraine since the start of the war on Feb. 24 last year, Price said.

Asked about some reports alleging that Germany and the US were at odds over sending tanks to Ukraine, he said: “Time and again, Germany has proven itself as a stalwart bilateral ally of the United States, a stalwart member of the NATO alliance, and an absolutely dedicated and stalwart partner of Ukraine."

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks and eight M88 armored vehicles to Ukraine in response to Kyiv's appeals.

The announcement comes in the wake of Germany signing off on the delivery of 14 of its Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks and announcing that it would allow other nations already in possession of the tanks to export them to Ukraine.

Reports had earlier suggested that Berlin would not consent to sending Leopard 2s to Ukraine without the US sending Abrams tanks.