M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks are the most common Western battle tanks, and allies have a significant number of them in their stockpiles. Western allies easily have the capabilities to meet Zaluzhny’s request for 300 tanks. But German officials seem reluctant to approve such a decision, waiting for the US to agree to send their M1 Abrams tanks first. The presidents of the European Commission and European Council, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, have called for Germany to allow Leopard 2 tanks to be transferred to Ukraine as quickly as possible. Finland and Poland have declared that they are willing to send Leopard 2 tanks to the Ukrainian front-lines, and other countries may follow suit, but as the producer of the Leopard 2, Germany must first allow its re-export. The head of the Ukrainian armed forces, General Valery Zaluzhny, has said that the Ukrainian army needs 300 tanks from its Western allies in order to launch a successful counter-offensive and to push the Russian army back to where it was on 23 February 2022. Pressure is mounting on Germany and the United States to allow the delivery of the tanks, which could change the dynamics on the battlefield. Now the limelight is on the German Leopard 2 battle tank and the American M1 Abrams, and whether Western allies are prepared to supply them to the Ukrainian army. After months of reluctance, Western allies have announced that they will deliver modern heavy weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces, including Bradley and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Challenger 2 battle tanks, and CV-90 armoured vehicles.

German military tanks modern