Why not give Abrams Tanks Going to Poland to Ukraine?

Video Above Tank Modernization and Tank Battles in War

US-built Abrams tanks are arriving in Poland this year as part of a large Foreign Military Sales deal through which Poland will buy 250 tanks, a major development which Polish leaders say will immediately be sent to the country’s Eastern flank to deter Russia.

Abrams Tank

With large numbers of Abrams tanks arriving in Poland this year, why not send some of them to Ukraine? Would Poland agree? Possibly it seems, given their willingness to support the Ukrainian effort. The Abrams bound for Poland could simply travel a bit further to the East and South to support the Ukrainian Army. US built Abrams tanks to Poland would then be back filled with additional production, assuming General Dynamics has the capacity to generate more new export variants.

Would sending US-built Abrams tanks to Ukraine simply be too provocative? The answer to this question likely pertains to a few key unknowns, because there certainly would not be time to build and send new export variant Abrams given the urgency of Ukraine’s needs. 

Even if there were the resolve to do this, there simply may not be ready-made export variants of the Abrams lying around to be sent, and Ukraine certainly cannot wait several years. Also, should this be logistically possible, it does not mean the Pentagon would have the appetite to do this, as it may indicate an escalation of US involvement which could heighten risks of World War III.

T-72 Tank & T-90 Tank

Several Eastern European countries, however, have upgraded Russian T-72 tanks which may in many instances rival portions of Russia’s large, but aging tank fleet. Germany’s Leopard tanks are yet another possibility which one has to think might be under consideration. 

Would the Germans be willing to part with some of its cutting edge Leopard 2 tanks? Are there older ones they might be willing to send. Eastern European countries such as Poland and Ukraine itself have soviet-built tanks, however it is not clear just how modernized they may be. An interesting story in Defense News from last year says Poland already operates several variants of the Leopard tank. Why not get some in the hands of the Ukrainians?