Here’s what we know:
The U.S. move follows Berlin’s decision to both send its Leopard tanks and allow other European countries to do the same.
Biden announces 31 Abrams tanks for Ukraine, but says the move is not meant to escalate the war.
Germany says it will send an initial shipment of 14 tanks to Ukraine.
Kyiv and its allies welcome Germany’s decision to arm Ukraine with tanks.
The M1 Abrams, headed to Ukraine, is the main U.S. battle tank.
Ukraine says that its forces have retreated from Soledar after an intense battle.
The Pentagon will increase artillery production sixfold for Ukraine.
Germany’s chancellor faced pressure at home and abroad over sending Ukraine tanks.
WASHINGTON — President Biden announced on Wednesday that he would send M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian invaders, a decision meant to unlock a wave of heavier aid by Western allies in preparation for an expected escalation of fighting in the spring.
Speaking at the White House after a morning of telephone calls to European allies, Mr. Biden said that the United States would send 31 Abrams tanks, the equivalent of a Ukrainian battalion, and that Germany would follow through by contributing its own Leopard 2 tanks and freeing other allies to send their own, the equivalent of two more battalions.
“These tanks are further evidence of our enduring, unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of Ukrainian forces,” Mr. Biden said, flanked by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.
But he emphasized that the buildup was not meant to expand the war into Russia. “It is not an offensive threat to Russia,” he said. “There is no offensive threat to Russia. If Russian troops return to Russia, where they belong, this war would be over today.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Wednesday that Germany would send an initial shipment of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other nations to send their own, relenting after weeks of domestic and international pressure to deliver armored vehicles aimed at helping Kyiv regain territory seized by Russia.
The move came hours before President Biden announced that the United States will send M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, appearing to assuage Mr. Scholz’s reluctance to send tanks without Washington also doing so.
Berlin’s decision to send the German-made Leopard 2s follows Britain’s announcement this month that it would send 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, and marks a significant step in Western allies’ supply of ever heavier weapons to Kyiv.
While the pledges so far fall far short of the 300 tanks that Ukraine has said it needs to make a difference against Russian forces on the battlefield, Germany’s announcement immediately prompted officials in Finland, the Netherlands and Spain to say that they would seek to send tanks to Ukraine, or were open to doing so.