Ukraine can receive Abrams earlier: the transfer of tanks from the Pentagon’s depots is being considered

American Abrams tanks for the Armed Forces of Ukraine could arrive faster than previously announced.

Breaking Defense reported this.

Last month, US media, citing their own sources, reported that 31 М1А2 main battle tanks will be purchased as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), and will not be directly withdrawn from US military stocks as part of the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) program.

However, Breaking Defense has learned from Stanley Brown, First Deputy Secretary of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, that the decision to allocate tanks through the USAI program has not yet been made.

He suggested that Abrams tanks could be transferred from US Army stockpiles through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). Such a move could potentially speed up the delivery of American tanks to Ukraine.

Alternatively, he said, it could be a combination of transferring combat vehicles through both programs.

According to Stanley Brown, as of now, the discussions on a specific decision are still ongoing in the United States.

Brown shared that it was not clear when a final decision would be made or when Abrams tanks could arrive in Ukraine.

Washington Post previously reported that tanks would be purchased as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and will be delivered by the end of 2023 or next year.

On January 25, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will provide Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks. It was reported that the tanks would be of the M1A2 version.

Subsequently, White House national security spokesman John Kirby reported that the delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine could take months.

At the same time, he refused to answer whether Ukraine should expect the tanks by the end of 2023.