Western countries will deliver 321 tanks to Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian ambassador to France.
“As of today, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine,” Vadym Omelchenko said in an interview with French television station and CNN affiliate BFM television on Friday.
It did not specify which countries would supply the tanks or provide a breakdown of which models.
Omelchenko’s figure comes after the United States this week pledged to provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks and Germany agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 A6s. Earlier, the UK promised 14 Challenger 2 tanks, while Poland sought Germany’s approval to transfer some of its own German-built Leopard 2s to Ukraine.
Echoing the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who urged the West to provide what some experts see as revolutionary military equipment, Omelchenko said Ukraine needed help “as quickly as possible.”
“If we had to wait until August or September, it would be too late,” he said.
Delivery dates will vary depending on the type of tank and the country of origin, the ambassador said, and the timing will be adjusted during upcoming consultations between Ukraine and Western countries, he said.
Ukrainian forces have warned that they are in a race against time. The country fears that a second Russian offensive could begin within two months and is preparing for the coming weeks.
Previous military aid, such as the US HIMARS rocket system, has been vital in helping Ukraine disrupt Russian advances and conduct a series of successful counter-offensives in recent months.
But the tanks represent the most powerful direct offensive weapon provided to Ukraine so far, military experts said.
This week several Western nations led by Germany and the United States said they would send tank contingents to Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden said he would provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks to “enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives” in both the short and long term.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in parliament on Wednesday that his government would send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, ending months of deliberation and several days of tense negotiations with NATO partners.
“This is the result of intensive consultations that took place with Germany’s closest European and international partners,” read a German government statement.
Ukraine hopes the Berlin announcement will encourage other European nations that own Leopards to re-export some of their vehicles.
Poland formally requested Germany’s approval on Tuesday to transfer some of its German-built Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Military experts previously told CNN that the additional tanks could make all the difference in the war. But some analysts said the new tanks wouldn’t be the instant game changer some would hope for.
The CNN Wire
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