Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) called on the United States and global partners to provide the Ukrainian military with battle tanks before an expected spring counteroffensive, even urging the Biden administration to send M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine if it will encourage the German government to move forward with the provision of the German-made Leopard tank to Ukraine. German leaders have said that they will not send their own Leopards or release allies to send their Leopards until the United States sends tanks of its own.
Senator Coons also praised the new $2.5 billion military aid package to Ukraine announced by the Biden administration last week, which includes the first shipment of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker armored fighting vehicles. You can watch the whole interview here.
Senator Chris Coons: Look, I think it’s urgent that we provide Ukraine with advanced main battle tanks. President Biden just announced another $2.5 billion, including sophisticated armored vehicles — American Bradleys and Strykers. I am concerned that Russia is rearming and preparing for a spring offensive. If it requires our sending some Abrams tanks in order to unlock … the Leopard tanks from Germany, from Poland, from other allies – I would support that. I respect that our military leaders think the Abrams is too sophisticated and too expensive a platform to be as useful as the Leopards, but we need to continue to work with our close allies and to move forward in lockstep. President Biden’s leadership on confronting Russian aggression in Ukraine is one of the best chapters of his very strong first two years. I do think we need to move forward quickly to provide the Ukrainians with the weapons they deserve, so they can continue their brave and successful fight against the Russians.
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