Germany, the United States and other allies announced that they will supply Ukraine with some of the world’s best tanks, despite a corruption scandal in Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz announced Wednesday that Germany will send Ukraine 14 of its Leopard 2 tanks and won’t prevent other countries from re-exporting their Leopards. Hours later, President Joe Biden said the U.S. will supply 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
“It is another stage of ramping up the Western allies’ willingness to provide [Ukraine with] heavy weaponry. And it’s a significant step,” says Mai’a Cross, dean’s professor of political science, international affairs and diplomacy, and director of Northeastern’s Center for International and World Cultures.
Cross says it was a hard thing to agree to, especially for Germany, because the concern of the allies from the beginning of the war was that Russia could use equipment provisions as a reason to expand the war.
