Poland will send 60 more tanks to Ukraine, and 14 more have already been engaged in hostilities, the Polish prime minister said.
The country has become one of Ukraine’s main allies in its war with Russia. and has already promised to deliver 14 German Panther 2 tanks lobbied Berlin to allow other countries to do so.
Speaking on Canadian television, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: “Poland was the first country to send 250 tanks about six months ago.
“At the moment, we are ready to send 60 of our modernized tanks, 30 of which are PT-91s. In addition to these tanks, we have 14 tanks, 2 Panther tanks.
PT-91 tanks are Polish combat vehicles that entered service in the 1990s after being developed on the basis of the Soviet T-72 tanks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Poland for his statement on Twitter: “Together we will win!”
Canada will send four Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, as will Norway, while Spain says it is considering doing so.
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Marcin Ociepa told Polish media that it would take three months for the tanks to arrive in Ukraine: “It depends on which country we are talking about, but I estimate that we are talking about a quarter by the time these tanks are finished. . In fact, stay on Ukrainian territory and go to war.”
Earlier this week, the United States announced that it would also send tanks to Ukraine.
President Biden said armored capabilities are ‘very important for Ukraine’ and ‘the United States will be training Ukrainian troops soon’, adding that Germany ‘has really stepped up its support’ for Mr Zelensky’s troops .
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A senior administration official said the United States had previously said it would provide the training and equipment necessary to operate and maintain the M1 Abrams tanks as part of “our long-term commitment to the sectors.” of Ukrainian defence”.
For months, Kyiv has been pleading with the West to send modern battle tanks to provide firepower and mobility to its forces, which it hopes will break through Russian defense lines and retake occupied territory. Russia.
Although Ukraine has Soviet tanks, President Zelensky says his forces need more, faster and deadlier weapons – especially Western tanks – to repel the Russians.
German decision comes later Britain announced the delivery of 14 Challenger 2 tanksThis was widely seen as an attempt to persuade other allies to send leopards, which are bred across Europe.
