CNN —
Western countries will deliver 321 tanks to Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Ambassador to France.
“To date, numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine,” Vadym Omelchenko said in an interview with French broadcaster and CNN affiliate BFM Television on Friday.
He did not specify which countries would supply the tanks, or give a breakdown of the models.
Omelchenko’s number comes after the US this week pledged to supply 31 M1 Abrams tanks and Germany agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 A6s. Earlier, the UK has pledged 14 Challenger 2 tanks, while Poland has asked for Germany’s approval to transfer some of its own German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Echoing the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has urged the West to provide what some experts see as cutting-edge military hardware, Omelchenko said Ukraine needs help “as soon as possible”.
“If it had to wait until August or September, it would be too late,” he said.
Delivery dates will vary depending on tank type and country of origin, the ambassador said, and the schedule will be adjusted at the next consultations between Ukraine and western countries, he said.
Ukraine’s armed forces have warned they are in a race against time. Fearing that a second Russian offensive could begin within two months, the country is bracing for the coming weeks.
Previous military aid, such as America’s HIMARS missile system, has been vital in helping Ukraine disrupt Russian advances and launch a series of successful counter-offensives in recent months.
But tanks represent the most powerful direct offensive weapon so far made available to Ukraine, 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 will provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks to “improve Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives” in both the short and long term.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in parliament on Wednesday that his government would send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, ending months of deliberations and several days of tense negotiations with NATO partners.
“This is the result of intensive consultations with Germany’s closest European and international partners,” the federal government said in a statement.
Ukraine hopes Berlin’s announcement will encourage other European nations that own Leopards to export some of their vehicles again.
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Poland on Tuesday formally asked Germany for permission to relocate some of its German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Military experts previously told CNN that the additional tanks could make a difference in the war. However, some analysts said the new tanks wouldn’t bring the immediate turnaround that some would expect.