WASHINGTON, May 19: Some US officials remained disappointed with the donation of decommissioned M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the shipment of which to the country was confirmed by the Australian prime minister the day before, Australian broadcaster ABC reported.
The decommissioned tanks, which the government of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to Ukraine last year, were considered “stuck” in the country for an indefinite period as of April. Australian Defence Ministry officials partly blamed resistance from the United States for the delay in their transfer. However, the day before, the prime minister said in a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the decommissioned tanks had already been sent to Ukraine.
According to the ABC, the process of loading the first of 49 vehicles onto a cargo ship began recently, but the Australian government will not discuss their current location or expected arrival date in Europe for security reasons.
The ABC reported that before the shipment process could begin, Australia “had to wait for Washington’s approval to export the US-made tanks to a third country,” which came despite US officials remaining privately disappointed by the donation.
“Last year, even before Donald Trump returned as president, we warned the Australians that sending these Abrams tanks would be complicated, and once they finally get to the battlefield the Ukrainians will find them difficult to sustain,” a US official told ABC on condition of anonymity.
Last year, the Australian Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee recommended that the Australian government increase aid to Ukraine, including military equipment deliveries. Specific recommendations included the default transfer of military equipment, including decommissioned items, to Ukraine unless there are arguments against it in relation to a specific item.
This decision was made amid repeated requests from Kiev to Canberra with official requests to join Washington, London and Berlin in supplying military equipment for the needs of the Ukrainian army. Instead, some decommissioned equipment, including American M1A1 Abrams tanks, were put up for sale on trading platforms, which caused discontent among the Ukrainian community in Australia.
It was later reported that Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles had discussed with Kiev “a range of options” for sending old tanks, which must be in accordance with the rules for the export of US military equipment to third countries.
The Russian Embassy in Australia stated that “M1A1 Abrams tanks will burn exactly like previously donated Bushmasters.”
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement, directly involving NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any shipments containing weapons for Ukraine would be a legitimate target for Russia. The Kremlin stated that pumping weapons into Ukraine by the West did not contribute to negotiations and would have a negative effect.
(UNI)
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