Ukraine has received more than 4,000 armored vehicles, artillery pieces, aircraft, and other weapon systems from allies to help fight Russia, with NATO members now sending more lethal arms.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to provide main battle tanks (MBTs) and artillery systems to Ukraine, drawing swift reproach from the Russian embassy in London.
Sunak promised to send the 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine following a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday (January 14, 2023), according to a statement from his office.
The Ukrainian leader expressed his appreciation for the UK’s military support on Twitter, saying, “the decisions that will not only strengthen us on the battlefield but also send the right signal to other partners.”
Ukraine needs MBTs like Challenger 2. However, according to recent statements from Paris and Washington, DC, there are no plans to supply them any time soon. For now, France won’t deliver its Leclerc tanks, and the U.S. won’t ship the M1 Abrams either.
The German public has hotly debated the delivery of its Leopard 2 MBTs to Ukraine. Still, since German chancellor Olaf Scholz doesn’t want to act alone, Ukraine will also have to wait on shipments of the Leopard 2.
Poland and the Czech Republic have provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to the Ukrainian army.
