There is no denying of the fact that the West’s military support has been very crucial to Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s incessant attacks.
Aid in terms of equipment and weaponry such as anti-air missiles and anti-aircraft guns and howitzers amounting to billions of dollars has been handed to Ukraine. Items of non-lethal aid, including body armor, helmets, night vision equipment, medical equipment and winter clothing have not been left out of western nations’ benevolence to war battered Ukraine.
Last week, Germany and the US confirmed that they are sending tanks to Ukraine in a show of support for the government in Kyiv.
Although hesitant at first, the German government announced that it will be sending 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, while the US is planning to deliver 31 Abrams in the coming months.
Germany has also given the green light to a number of other European countries which want to send their own German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
The UK, which has already committed 14 of its own tanks, has welcomed the announcements.
More than 30 countries have provided military equipment to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Germany was hesitant to approve the delivery of the Leopard 2 tanks because it wanted to give the battle tanks in agreement with its allies. In announcing the decision to send the tanks, Chancellor Scholz emphasized that Germany was “acting in close coordination” with its allies.
Scholz had insisted that any move to provide Ukraine with powerful Leopard 2 tanks would need to be closely coordinated with Germany’s allies, chiefly the United States.
As the aggressor in two world wars, Berlin was wary of being the main provider of battle tanks in Ukraine. By getting Washington to commit some of its own tanks, Berlin hopes to spread the risk of any retaliation from Russia.
Since World War Two, Berlin has been reluctant to take the lead, but as the Europe’s biggest economy, that is exactly what allies often look to Germany to do.
Also, Germany feels deep responsibility for the slaughter of millions of Russians during World War One and Two.
Another German concern has been that, while European countries including the UK, Poland and the Netherlands, say that it is clearly the Kremlin that is escalating this conflict, many in Germany say they fear delivering heavy tanks and other offensive weaponry to Ukraine could push Vladimir Putin to even wilder extremes. Even to the use of nuclear weapons.
Potential To Change The Shape Of The War
The delivery of Western tanks to Kyiv has the potential to change the shape of the war. Crucially, if used properly with the necessary training, they could allow Ukraine to take the fighting to Moscow’s forces and re-capture more occupied land, rather than focusing primarily on countering Russian attacks.
Ukrainian forces will be better equipped to intercept missiles quickly with minimal damage to their infrastructure.
Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, explained why Western tanks are a great fit for Ukraine to a news outlet, saying it would lead to better efficiency for the country’s fighters on the battlefield.
“They have better armor, they have longer firing range, they are more maneuverable. There are so many advantages. They can conduct night warfare because they’re equipped with night-vision systems for targeting, and enemies’ identification. So it’s very obvious that we will just be more efficient, and we will be able to achieve the same results with fewer losses on the side of our army.”
Yuriy Sak
However, it is feared that Ukraine will use the tanks on the offensive rather than defensive, launching attacks on Russia, which will consequentially direct Russia’s wrath to the U.S and other western countries.
Russia could launch more wide scale attacks and cause intense havoc in Ukraine before the tanks reach them.
Also, the presence of these advanced weaponry could prolong the war, thereby aggravating the negative effects on the continent and world as a whole. As long as the war persists, economies will be affected.
Moreover, the presence of battle tanks signal that Ukraine is not ready to resolve the conflict diplomatically.
In response to Germany’s move to send the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Russian Embassy in Berlin announced that it was now convinced that Germany and its closest allies were “not interested in a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis” but were “set up for its permanent escalation and unlimited pumping of the Kyiv regime with more and more deadly weapons.”
North Korea, an ally to Russia, has condemned the U.S and Germany’s decision to send the tanks.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, argued that the US has a “sinister intention to realize its hegemonic aim by further expanding the proxy war for destroying Russia.”
Is US, together with its allies crossing the red line or making steps in the right direction?
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