The most important decisions were taken ahead of the meeting of fans from western Ukraine scheduled for Friday at the German air base in Ramstein. Nearly 24 hours before defense ministers were to discuss new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, US Defense Secretary Colin Kahl made it clear in Washington that the US currently does not want to send any M1 Abrams main battle tanks – albeit less out of concern. with a further escalation of the now nearly one year war than for practical reasons. The turbine-powered Abrams is not only cumbersome and consumes a huge amount of fuel, without complex logistical chains in the background, the 60+ ton device can hardly be used efficiently on the battlefield. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin does not want to supply Ukrainians with weapons “that they cannot repair and maintain,” Kahl said.
With the decision not to deliver any Abrams, sending the German Leopard 2, which Poland, Finland and the Baltic States are pushing alongside Ukraine, seems to be out of the question. Chancellor Olaf Scholz linked the green light for German main battle tanks to the delivery of the Abrams in the middle of this week. “Each new qualitative step must be taken in conjunction with the US,” said Scholz, accused of hesitating too much for weeks.
many new appointments
Despite the disagreement in the tank debate, the meeting in Ramstein on Friday is likely to be the visible expression of a growing rethink among Western countries. While the US and European states had already provided Ukraine with so many weapons that it would not lose, the allies are now giving the impression that they now also want to provide Ukraine with the means it needs to win in order to win. Since the US, Germany and France decided to supply Ukraine with dozens of armored vehicles and reconnaissance vehicles, there have been similar announcements from other countries almost every day.
Canada wants to send 200 Senator armored vehicles, and more Patriot anti-aircraft missiles are expected to come from the Netherlands. The Swedish government has also promised a huge package of support. In addition to 50 modern and powerful armored vehicles, Ukraine will also receive the powerful Archer artillery system.
Missiles could hit Crimea
More important for Ukraine, however, is that the US can apparently warm to the idea of supplying artillery missile systems with a significantly greater range than the Himars already in use. “The hard line of recent months is beginning to ease,” writes the “New York Times,” citing several Washington administration officials who wish to remain anonymous.
According to the news platform “Politico”, the next US support package worth billions, which is likely to be presented in Ramstein, is also expected to include so-called small-diameter ground bombs (GLSDB), in addition to armored vehicles with Stryker wheels. The glide bombs, which are launched with the help of a rocket engine, are capable of hitting targets 150 kilometers away with an accuracy of one meter.
In contrast to the almost 90-kilometer-long Himar rocket launch systems, which played a key role in breaking Russian artillery superiority in the summer, Ukraine could not only use it for almost all targets in Russian-occupied areas since February 24th. but also parts of Crimea. That would make Russia’s supply of supplies, which the Ukrainian army has repeatedly targeted, even more difficult. With the mass delivery of the GLSDB system available, nowhere in the occupied territories would be safe for Russian troops.
The Kremlin reacted accordingly. “The mere fact that there is a discussion about equipping Ukraine with weapons that can reach Russian territory is extremely dangerous,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “Thus, the conflict would reach a new level.”