Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

UK confirms it is considering supplying Ukraine with tanks

UK confirms it is considering supplying Ukraine with tanks

Move would make UK the first Western country to provide tanks to Kyiv.
The U.K. government is considering supplying Ukraine with British-made Challenger 2 tanks, officials have confirmed.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson said Tuesday that the U.K. has not yet made any final decisions on the provision of modern battle tanks — but did not deny that the government is mulling the issue.

He said the Ukrainian government had been “pretty clear” in its demands for military aid from Western allies, “and that has included tanks.”

“When it comes to further equipment to Ukraine, you’ll know that for several months, we’ve been working with partners around the provision of tanks and armored vehicles, artillery, air defense, and the prime minister spoke to [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy just last week … about what can be most effective in helping Ukraine continue their progress,” the spokesperson said.

“Until decisions are made on these sorts of things, we don’t comment on speculation around what further equipment may or may not be sent,” they added.

A senior government official said the U.K. could take a decision on the supply of tanks “fairly shortly” — and “possibly” as early as this week.

“Clearly one of the elements which Ukraine is lacking in terms of capability is main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers in sufficient number to support offensive maneuver operations,” a separate Western official said Tuesday. “And if the Ukrainians hope to take back territory held back by Russia, and particularly fortified territory, they need the ability and range of capabilities to allow the offensive maneuver.”

If Britain sends tanks to Ukraine, it would become the first Western country to provide this type of heavy armor to Kyiv.

Such a move would pile pressure on Germany to authorize allies with German-made Leopard 2 tanks to shift some of them to Ukraine, ahead of a meeting of Western defense ministers on January 20 to coordinate military support to the war-torn country.

Berlin has so far resisted the move, fearing it could lead to an escalation and be seen by the Kremlin as a step too far for NATO in the war between Ukraine and Russia.

Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic have already sent Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Kyiv, but the Ukrainian government is making the case for modern heavy armor to complement its infantry and artillery operations in a bid to regain territory occupied by Russia.

Ukraine is seeking main battle tanks and an increased number of armored personnel carriers in order to win back Russian-occupied territory, the same Western official quoted above said. “The Ukrainians will look at all partners who might provide for tanks and aren’t going to be particularly worried about where they come from — just as long as they come in sufficient volume.”

A number of Challenger 2 tanks are in operation in Estonia, and were deployed as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic region. Some have also been deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq.

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the House of Commons defense committee, said Tuesday that the U.K. should “absolutely” supply Ukrainian forces with British tanks.

“This is our war, but we’ve left the Ukrainians to do the fighting,” the Conservative MP told BBC Radio 4.

“It’s not just the moralistic issue here, it’s the fact that Russia is now pushing this against the wider West, so I very much welcome the fact that we’re now thinking about sending main battle tanks.”

Earlier Tuesday, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said Russia was now fighting NATO in Ukraine.

“The events in Ukraine are not a clash between Moscow and Kyiv, this is a military confrontation between Russia and NATO, and above all the United States and England, with Russia,” Patrushev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told the Argumenti i Fakti newspaper in an interview.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
×