Allies announce massive aid to Ukraine, but no decision on tanks | War in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted late on Friday, stressing that the ally he said had pledged to support Ukraine necessaryinevitably have to be revealed.

Yes, we still have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it clear that there is no other solution rather than supply it to Ukraine, he said from Kyiv in a video message, after a meeting at the US base in Ramstein, Germany, of about 50 countries to coordinate military assistance against a Russian invasion.

Things could indeed change in the coming weeks, the United States hinted.

Here we have a favorable conjuncture, between now and springto deliver western tanks as Ukraine begins counterattacksaid US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

His Polish counterpart, Mariusz Blaszczak, said to himself convinced that the allies would eventually come together in a coalition to deliver German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Substantial deliveries are coming

Until then, various additional military assistance programs promised by several countries were offered to Ukrainian troops the abilities they need to be successful in the field, judged the head of the Pentagon.

Volodymyr Zelensky also welcomed the other results of this meeting, in particular several hundred combat vehicles were added to the arsenal Ukraine, and significant results regarding rockets and anti-aircraft systems requested by Kyiv.

The United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and even Denmark announced substantial new weapons shipments hours before the meeting.

Thus, Washington will release a 2.5 billion dollar tranche, consisting of 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type promised on January 6, and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers.

Britain has promised to send Ukraine 600 additional Brimstone missiles, Denmark 19 French-made Caesar guns and Swedish Archer self-propelled guns.

How far will Western countries support Ukraine? Kyiv called for tanks to organize its counterattack against Russia, but countries hesitated for fear of getting caught up in the conflict itself. Reported by Yasmine Khayat.

For its part, Finland on Friday announced 400 million euros (about 580 million Canadian dollars) in military aid to Ukraine, its largest contribution to date, which includes artillery and ammunition.

The Dutch government then announced late on Friday that it would help Ukraine equip itself with the Patriot air defense system, in this case two launchers and missiles to help defend it against Russian missile attacks on the city and its infrastructure.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksii Reznikov, welcomed this new submission on Twitter, especially thanking him friends and colleagues American Lloyd Austin and confirmed it The Bradleys and Patriots will change the course of the war.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) attends opening remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on video screen) at a ‘Contact Group for Defense of Ukraine’ meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Friday, January 20, 2023.

Photo: Associated Press/Michael Probst

Crucial gain

As for the heavy armor claimed by Kyiv, Germany – which is contingent on possibly re-exporting the Leopard 2 tanks which are by far the most represented in European armies – haven’t made their decision yetcalmly stated the American Minister of Defense.

Western-designed modern heavy tanks will be an important advantage for Kyiv in the battle looming in eastern Ukraine, where Russia is back on the offensive after suffering a major setback this winter, experts say. .

Poland and Finland have offered to deliver their Leopard tanks, but Berlin has at this stage been reluctant to give the go-ahead.

The new German Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, denied thisimpression that his country blocked the decision, ensured that Berlin acted and launched an inventory of available Leopard stocks for its army and industry.

A dozen countries have German-made Leopard 2 tanks.

Photo: Getty Images/Sean Gallup

Ukraine’s Minister of Defense wrote on Twitter late on Friday that he did honest discussion about this with his German counterpart.

At the opening of the meeting, President Zelensky urged allies, via video link, to expedite their delivery of heavy weapons to stop crime.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov immediately said that this would not change anything on the ground, accusing the West of defending itillusion of a possible Ukrainian victory on the battlefield.

The clashes escalated

On Friday, the besieged city of Bakhmout (east), the current center of the fighting, was again savagely bombarded, journalists fromAFP.

Look, look, this is my apartment, this is the only apartment I havecomplains Olga Tomak, 70, reflecting with Mykola, her husband, the building caught fire after the strike.

In Washington, a senior US administration official said, on condition of anonymity, that Ukraine should not seek to defend the largely destroyed city at all costs, but instead concentrate on preparing a massive counteroffensive in the south of the country.

Russian occupation authorities say they recorded a sharp increase in intensity fighting in the Zaporizhia region to the south, where clashes took place along the front line.

I’United Nations for its part announced on Friday the arrival of the first humanitarian convoy in the vicinity of Soledar, a town near Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine, whose capture was claimed last week by the Russian army and mercenaries from Wagner’s group.

The group was designated on Friday by the United States as a criminal organization responsible for atrocities, the White House announced on Friday.

Finally, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed to have been arrested seven Russian agents in the Dnipro region (east), where a missile attack killed 46 people last week.

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