Australia will supply Ukraine with 49 U.S.-made M1A1 Abrams tanks, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) reported. This decision comes after months of negotiations.
“This is significant help for Ukraine. [I’m] grateful to [Prime Minister Anthony] Albanese’s government for its support,” said Kateryna Argyrou, Co-Chair AFUO and Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) member.
The AFUO has been running a systematic campaign to increase Australian support for Ukraine. The UWC expressed gratitude to the AFUO for its efforts in achieving this crucial decision.
The tanks are decommissioned and Canberra plans to replace them with new-generation armored vehicles, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said.
These tanks will be part of a broader aid package worth approximately $164 million.
“The transfer of 49 tanks will position Australia as the leading donor of Abrams tanks to Ukraine,” reported Defense Express. Before this, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had received only 31 Abrams tanks of the same model from the U.S.
The timeline for the delivery of the tanks is currently unclear. This is “a very timely, a very substantial and very fit-for-purpose announcement,” said Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia.
“We respect the decision of the government. It was not an easy one and I’m very happy that it was a positive one,” Myroshnychenko added.
Since February 2022, Australia’s total military assistance to Ukraine has surpassed the equivalent of $866 million.
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