Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government was expecting "strong decisions" from defence leaders of NATO and other countries meeting on Friday to discuss boosting Ukraine's ability to confront Russian forces with modern battle tanks, Euronews reports.
The gathering at Ramstein Air Base in Germany Friday is meant to hammer out future military aid to Ukraine amid ongoing dissent over who will provide the armour that leaders in Kyiv say they desperately need to recapture territory from Russia.
While US representatives are there to discuss the latest massive package of aid Washington is sending — which includes Stryker armoured vehicles for the first time — broader hesitation over sending tanks to Ukraine has roiled the coalition.
Germany faces mounting pressure to supply Leopard 2s to Kyiv or at least clear the way for others — such as Poland — to deliver German-made Leopards from their own stock.
The US has also declined, at least so far, to provide M1 Abrams tanks, citing the extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicle.
The US believes it would be more productive to send Leopards since many allies have them, and Ukrainian troops would only have to get trained on that one, versus needing far more training on the more difficult Abrams.
The UK announced last week that it would send Challenger 2 tanks, saying it was a natural progression of military aid to Ukraine.
