Australia to Supply Tanks to Ukraine

In a significant military aid move, Australia has decided to transfer 49 of its older M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. This announcement came just months after Kyiv expressed interest in acquiring these surplus military assets, according to the country’s Defense Minister Richard Marles.

The Australian military is set to donate the tanks, which are worth an estimated 245 million Australian dollars (equivalent to about 163 million US dollars). These will be replaced by a new fleet of 75 advanced M1A2 tanks that are expected to bolster Australia’s defense capabilities.

Initially, back in February, Marles had indicated that transferring the tanks to Ukraine was not in the government’s plans as they phased them out. However, he clarified during this recent announcement that he does not see this donation as a reversal of that earlier stance.

“We maintain ongoing discussions with the Ukrainian government about how we can best lend our support,” Marles shared with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “We evaluate our materials based on their condition and potential effectiveness in the ongoing conflict. In that context, the Abrams tanks meet all necessary criteria,” he elaborated.

Responding to political criticisms regarding the timing of the donation, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, emphasized the significance of the move, stating, “This is a timely and substantial decision, perfectly suited to our needs. We respect the government’s choice, which was likely a challenging one, and we are pleased with the outcome.”

This latest military assistance brings Australia’s total contributions to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion in 2022 to over AU$1.3 billion (approximately US$866 million). In a parallel effort, the United States also committed to sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine back in January 2023 following a robust campaign from Kyiv advocating for these tanks to help penetrate Russian defenses.