Britain yesterday confirmed plans to send 14 tanks, among other sophisticated military equipment, to Ukraine in the coming weeks. Two top British officials will visit the U.S., Canada, Germany and other NATO allies this week to discuss closer coordination on sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine.
Only months ago, such aid was considered taboo; Western countries resisted sending powerful arms to Ukraine, fearing that such support would prompt Russia to escalate the grinding war. But one expert said that Russia appeared to be mobilizing hundreds of thousands of new conscripts, a development that accelerated discussions about giving Kyiv the tanks.
On the ground in Ukraine, the death toll from Russia’s strike on an apartment building in the city of Dnipro on Saturday has risen to 40. The U.N. has confirmed the deaths of more than 7,000 Ukrainian civilians in the war but said the full toll was far higher.
What’s next: Britain said it would begin training Ukrainian forces on the tanks and guns in the coming days. Thousands of Ukrainian troops have trained in Britain over the last six months.
Germany: Britain’s announcement could increase pressure on Germany to send its coveted Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or at least allow other European countries to do so.
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