U.S. officials have privately expressed frustration over Australia’s decision to send 49 retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, as the first vehicles begin their journey to Europe amid growing concerns about their battlefield effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) confirmed that loading of the tanks onto a cargo ship has commenced, though the federal government is withholding details about their transit and arrival timeline for security reasons. The donation was finalized following the necessary U.S. export approval, as the Abrams tanks are American-made.
During a recent meeting in Rome, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally thanked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the shipment, which marks one of Australia's most substantial military contributions to Ukraine to date. However, behind the scenes, U.S. officials remain skeptical.
“Last year, even before Donald Trump returned as president, we warned the Australians that sending these Abrams tanks would be complicated,” one U.S. official told the ABC on condition of anonymity. “Once they finally get to the battlefield, the Ukrainians will find them difficult to sustain.”
Concerns have also emerged within the Australian Defence establishment. An unnamed official noted that while the gesture demonstrates support, the practicality of deploying older heavy tanks in a drone-dominated war is questionable. “We are starting to doubt if the Ukrainians actually want these vehicles. The tank roof is the weakest point of the Abrams, and this is a drone war,” the official said.
Despite these concerns, the donation was welcomed by Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, who has consistently advocated for stronger Australian military support. In contrast, Defence Minister Richard Marles declined to address whether U.S. officials had directly raised objections.
“We've been working very closely with Ukraine, very closely with the United States, to see this shipment occur and to see the tanks be on their way,” Marles said during a press briefing in Melbourne. “The first tranche has been on their way now for some time, but I'm not going to go into the specific details of that.”
The tanks are expected to pass through a logistics hub in Poland, which experienced disruptions earlier this year due to a temporary suspension of U.S. military aid by President Trump. The hub has since resumed full operations.
Australia’s Defence Department reaffirmed that delivery remains on track for 2025, with continued coordination underway regarding sustainment and training. The controversy follows last year’s decision by the Albanese government to decline Ukraine’s request for retired Taipan helicopters, citing operational complexity.
As the war in Ukraine evolves, the utility and sustainability of donated heavy equipment like the Abrams tanks remain a point of debate among allies, raising questions about how best to tailor military aid to the realities of modern warfare.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on imports from any country that adopts a digital services tax. The move escalated t...
Australia booked its place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after a tense goalless draw with Paraguay. Already-eliminated Türkiye ended its cam...
The United States has seized nearly 400 internet domains accused of illegally streaming World Cup matches, in what officials described as a major effo...
Burkina Faso has severed diplomatic relations with France, widening a years-long rupture with its former colonial ruler and marking the latest diploma...
Sweden discriminated against vulnerable European Union migrants, many of them from the Roma community, by denying them equal access to healthcare, the...
Australia booked its place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after a tense goalless draw with Paraguay. Already-eliminated Türkiye ended its campaign on a high with a dramatic 3-2 win over group winners the United States.
Will the negotiations in Switzerland succeed? That has become the dominant question surrounding the latest round of US-Iran diplomacy. It is also the wrong one.
India and the U.S. are close to finalising a long-awaited trade agreement, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday after the latest round of negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria, handing the White House another victory on immigration.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Burkina Faso has severed diplomatic relations with France, widening a years-long rupture with its former colonial ruler and marking the latest diplomatic break between France and military-led governments in the Sahel.
Sweden discriminated against vulnerable European Union migrants, many of them from the Roma community, by denying them equal access to healthcare, the European Committee of Social Rights has ruled.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on imports from any country that adopts a digital services tax. The move escalated tensions with trading partners over levies that Washington argues unfairly target American technology companies.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment