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LONDON – The UK government is considering supplying Ukraine with UK-built Challenger 2 tanks, officials have confirmed.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said on Tuesday that Britain had not yet made a final decision on the provision of modern battle tanks – but did not deny that the government was considering the issue.
He added that the Ukrainian government was “very clear” in its demands for military aid from Western allies, “and that includes tanks.”
“When it comes to further equipment for Ukraine, you will know that for several months, we have been working with partners for the provision of tanks and armored vehicles, artillery, air defense, and the prime minister spoke to [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky just last week … about what might be most effective to help Ukraine continue its progress, ”said the spokesman.
“Until these kinds of things are decided, we do not comment on speculation as to what further equipment may or may not be sent,” he added.
A senior government official said the UK could make a decision on the supply of the tanks “quite shortly” – and “possibly” as early as this week.
A separate Western official said on Tuesday, “Clearly one of the elements that Ukraine is lacking in terms of capability is main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers in sufficient numbers to support offensive maneuvers.” “And if the Ukrainians hope to take back territory captured by Russia, and especially fortified territory, they need a range of capabilities and capabilities to allow offensive maneuvers.”
If Britain sends the tanks to Ukraine, it will become the first Western country to provide Kyiv with this type of heavy armour.
Such a move would pressure Germany to move to Ukraine to coordinate military support to the war-torn country ahead of a meeting of Western defense ministers on January 20 to authorize allies with German-made Leopard 2 tanks.
berlin is so far opposed the moveIt was feared that this could lead to an escalation and could be seen by the Kremlin as a move towards NATO in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic have already shipped Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Kyiv, but the Ukrainian government is making the case for modern heavy armor in order to regain territory. So that his infantry and artillery operations could be completed. occupied by Russia.
Ukraine is seeking an increase in the number of main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers in a bid to win back Russian-held territory, said the same Western official cited above. “The Ukrainians will look at all partners who can provide tanks and will not be particularly concerned about where they come from – as long as they come in sufficient quantities.”
Several Challenger 2 tanks are in operation in Estonia, and were deployed as part of NATO’s increased presence in the Baltic region. Some have also been deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq.
Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the House of Commons defense committee, said on Tuesday that Britain “absolutely” should supply British tanks to the Ukrainian army.
“It’s our fight, but we’ve left the Ukrainians to fight,” the Conservative MP told BBC Radio 4.
“It’s not just an issue of ethics, it’s the fact that Russia is now pushing it against the wider West, so I very much welcome the fact that we are now thinking about sending main battle tanks.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that Russia is now fighting NATO in Ukraine.
“The events in Ukraine are not a conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, it is a military confrontation between Russia and NATO, and between Russia and the United States and England,” said Patrushev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Arguments and Facts Newspaper in an Interview,