25 January 2023 , 23:01
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Western allies tonight pledged huge military support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
America, Germany, the UK and three other countries will send tanks and armoured vehicles.
US President Joe Biden said: “We are thoroughly united.” President Volodymyr Zelensky declared he was “sincerely grateful to all our friends”.
Zelensky praised Western allies for joining forces in a bid to help Ukraine crush evil Vladimir Putin.
America, Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Poland agreed to send dozens of tanks and hundreds of armoured vehicles, as well as vital training and support.
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The US will deliver tanks to Ukraine (VALDA KALNINA/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)And US President Joe Biden warned Putin the West was fully behind Mr Zelensky’s bid to repel Moscow’s forces.
He said: “The expectation on the part of Russia is we’re going to break up. But we are fully, totally and thoroughly united.”
Mr Zelensky, who yesterday celebrated his 45th birthday, heard about the extra military support from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The Ukrainian President said: “Sincerely grateful to the Chancellor and all our friends.”
Joe Biden speaks about Ukraine from the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington (Susan Walsh/AP/REX/Shutterstock)President Biden pledged to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine in preparation for an expected escalation of fighting in the spring. It is a huge reversal in White House policy.
The move sparked fury in Russia. Officials branded it “blatant provocation” and warned the supplies would “burn like all the rest”. But Mr Biden insisted “there is no offensive threat” to Moscow.
He added: “These tanks are further evidence of our enduring, unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of its forces.
Rishi Sunak has also said the UK will continue to support Ukraine (PA)“They will enhance Ukraine’s capacity to defend its territory.”
Germany is contributing 14 Leopard 2 tanks and freeing other allies, including Poland, to send their own.
The military boost came after Mr Biden, Rishi Sunak, Mr Scholz, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and France’s Emmanuel Macron held a historic call. Britain has already agreed to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. Mr Sunak welcomed the decision of others to contribute.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (AFP via Getty Images)The PM said: “Together, we are accelerating our efforts to ensure Ukraine wins this war and bring peace.”
But Russia’s ambassador in Berlin, Sergey Nechayev, warned: “This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation.”
He spoke as Ukrainian troops quit Soledar, which is now in Russian hands. But experts claim Moscow has lost 110,000 troops taking the town in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.