Some US officials have expressed dissatisfaction with Australia's decision to send the Abrams tanks that have been seized to Ukraine, despite the long sea journey to Ukraine.
At a recent meeting in Rome, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he confirmed that the used M1A1 Abrams tank was being transported to Ukraine.
ABC News confirmed that the process of putting the first tanks out of a total of 49 onto cargo ships has been taking place recently. However, the Australian government did not disclose the current location or expected time for tanks to Europe, citing security reasons.
Before transporting tanks, Canberra must get approval from Washington because Abrams tanks are manufactured in the US. Despite the green light, some US officials have expressed internal frustration over Australia's donation of the equipment to Ukraine.
The US has warned Australia since last year that sending Abrams tanks will be complicated. Even if tanks reach the front line, Ukraine will have great difficulty in maintenance and operation," an unnamed US official told ABC News.
Last month, an Australian defense official also admitted that there were concerns about the effectiveness of military support when providing this large tank to Ukraine.
We are beginning to question whether Ukraine really needs these tanks. The roof of the Abrams tank was the weakest point, while this was a battle in which UAVs ( drones) played a leading role," the official said.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles declined to confirm whether US officials would object to the tanket aid.
We have cooperated very closely with Ukraine, as well as the US, to implement this aid package and get the increased number of vehicles on the road. The first batch has been on the road for a while, but I will not disclose more specific details," he said.
Earlier this year, operations at a key logistics hub in Poland, which will receive Australian Abrams tanks, were stalled after President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine. Currently, this facility is operating normally.
In April this year, a spokesperson for the Australian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the country is still achieving the goal of meeting the handover of M1A1 Abrams tanks in 2025.
In 2024, Australia faced mixed reactions for not accepting Ukraine's proposal to award the Australian withdrawn Taipan helicopter squadron. The Australian Ministry of Defense believes that the helicopter is too complex for Ukraine to operate and maintain.
