Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is unequivocal: there's no substitute for sending tanks to Ukraine.
With the country bracing for a possible, multi-pronged Russian offensive, or at least localized operations, the clock is ticking to build up defenses around strategic positions.
The U.S. Congress agreed to send a Patriot missile battery as part of Kyiv's latest $2 billion security assistance package. But more isolationist members of the Republican caucus aren't happy. Chief among them is controversial Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
While mainstream Republicans increasingly back Greene's push to audit U.S. aid to Ukraine, there's plenty of pushback to her intransigence on providing the fledging democracy with more firepower to inflict further damage on the Russian Armed Forces and Vladimir Putin's global standing.
One of her GOP opponents on the issue, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has publicly come out in support of sending main battle tanks, like the M1 Abrams, to the pot-marked battlefields of Eastern Europe.
Greene wasn't having any of it, as Newsweek reports:
“Why aren't you calling for tanks at America's southern border while our country is invaded everyday and Americans are being murdered in record numbers by Chinese fentanyl from the Cartels? We serve the American people, who pay for the tanks and our salaries, not Zelenskyy,” Greene tweeted in reference to the Biden administration's immigration policies and fentanyl that has been seized at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Her remarks come after Graham and Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island visited Kyiv on Friday, and criticized the delays from the West in supplying Ukraine with tanks, Reuters reported.
“All three of us, one Republican and two Democrats, share the same goal – for Ukraine to drive the Russians out of Ukraine. To achieve that goal, the Ukrainian military needs tanks,” Graham tweeted Friday.
During his visit to the war-torn country, Graham blasted Germany in a press conference after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who he said asked for “investment, not charity.”
Berlin has failed to reach an agreement on providing Kyiv with Leopard 2 tanks, considered only second to the M1 Abrams. The ongoing negotiations have continent-wide repercussions, as 13 European countries possess Leopard tanks. Many of them have already agreed to send the German-made tanks to Ukraine, but doing so requires Germany's permission.
CNN has more on the impressive capabilities of the latest variant of the Leopard 2.
“Leopard 2 is a modern, well-protected main battle tank with good sensors,” Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow in Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told CNN. “It was originally designed to be maintained by conscripts and is therefore simpler to keep in the fight than some other NATO designs like the Challenger 2. There is also an existing production line to keep Leopard 2s supplied with spare parts.”
Leopards meanwhile run on diesel, unlike Abrams, which makes their fuel consumption more efficient and reduces the number of fuel trucks required to support a battalion.
These are among the reasons why critics of Berlin's stance say Leopard 2s should be shipped to Ukraine regardless of whether the US decides to send its own M1 Abrams tanks.
“Leopards are available in Europe,” CDU lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter told CNN on Friday. “Abrams have a lot of logistic support needed, it's much more costly to deliver (them).
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I oppose the escalation of the Ucraine-Russion battle. It would bring us into the war directly and we are already historically low on ammunition we need to support our own defenses.
All the commenters are against this, so DC will go for it.
Yeah, random commenters to a social media site are almost never wrong. Thanks, John
Okay, thanks Walt. (Should I care what Walt thinks?)
We shouldn’t be giving Ukraine a damn thing. And I am sick to death of the warmongers in our government. ALL OF THEM. Republicans and Democrats. I don’t care if the Russians take Ukraine or all of Europe for that matter. Take care of yourselves for a change. Losers
I don’t care if you decide to slit your throat—or OD on fentanyl. It’s all okay by me.
This should help you separate the wheat from the chaff. RINOs like Graham are out in the open now. Let’s take our country back! Fook these globalists!
The only goal Lindsey Graham shares with the Democrats is their desire to cover up their crimes against humanity and money laundering that they have been doing through the Ukraine!
First and foremost, Ukraine is not a fledgling but more important it is not a democracy. Like Russia, Ukraine is a Slavic, corrupt and authoritarian country lead by Zelensky, the green-clad grifter. I have no sympathy for Russia in this matter, but we are diverting our military resources to an area that is not of vital to American interests.
MTG is correct that our resources should be sent to the southern border to thwart the lethal invasion of our beloved country and for strengthening Taiwan and other long-term allies against the coming Chinese onslaught.
Enough giving this country we helped but this is our country armory not to be given to other countries, and taxpayers money to boot enough no more
The M1 proved how useless it was in dry sandy dusty conditions and now you want to try it in deep snow conditions?
The Russians have 1,500 tanks and hundreds of IFVs waiting on the Ukraine border for the order to advance. First there will be total artillery and air annihilation of the Ukrainian strongholds and the cities will look like Dresden.
2 dozen tanks will make absolutely no difference except to the manufacturers who will get richer at the expense of future US an EU taxpayers.
The Russian demands for security were spelled out in 2019 and were eminently reasonable. They have not changed. The only difference is that now, Russia is not asking but demanding the conditions.
As before, the US will fight Russia to the last European city and the last European death.
I OPPOSE ANY FURTHER CHARITY TO UKRAINE…THE LAUNDRY MONEY SCAMMER ZELENSKYY IS AS DIRTY AS PELOSI, SCHUMER, MCCONNEL, CLINTONS, OBAMMER, BIDEN, HARRIS AND MCCARTHY…..NO MORE! CLOSE THE BORDER AND ARREST/ DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS
I don’t normally suupport MTG, but this issue I do 100%. Our Military should be amassed at the southern boarders in full Military deployment.
Ukraine, sorry for the deals you made with the Biden s and a few politicians, American has run out money to fund wars between two countries neither have any desire to help the US except to see us fail
Ukraine aka the Borderlands which it always has been and will be again, has NEVER been a democracy. It is and was the most corrupt country in Europe where human and organ trafficking is the norm. Now money and weapons channelling.
She’s absolutely right. Over 100 BILLION unaccountable taxpayer dollars to the corrupt Ukrainian government to protect their “sovereignty” but not one dime in the 1.7 trillion dollar Omnibus Spending bill to protect our open border. An open border that allows in millions of unvaccinated illegals including cartels, terrorists, and the Chinese made fentanyl that has killed hundreds of thousand of Americans. And, oh yeah, then we pay for their food and medical and then their free government flights around the country to stay in free hotel rooms. It’s abhorrent and disgusting that our government cares more about Ukrainians, criminals and illegals than it’s own citizens.
RINOs & DC RNC vs America First MAGA duel
The US will not send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, for 2 very good reasons;
1) They require ridiculous levels of “maintenance”.
2) They require ridiculous levels of operator training.
These “dogs” are akin to the F35 Lightning debacle, the multi-role, do everything fighter that can’t do anything.
It certainly is not isolationist to not spend money overseas that we don’t have, when it is Europe that should be shouldering the crisis, it is in their interests not America’s, good for MTG.
Let Ukraine fall.
the Republicans best know that Ukrain is the one that gave Hunter his money. they are crooked and want a one world order an that is why this administration is supporting them and those other countries that want a one world order.Russia is stopping them so let it be between them. We have people to take care of here at HOME!!! no more money to Ukraine an we need AN AUDIT OF WHAT HAS BEEN SENT NOW!!!!!!!
I’m developing concerns that Marjorie Taylor Greene might be a lot more trouble than she is worth. I’ll need to see more on the squabble over where the Ukes can source some MBTs, American Abrhams or Leopard II’s. It sounds like the Leopard IIs might be a better choice for Ukraine than the M1s. (Easier to transport and maintain.). I need more info. I like a politician who makes waves but are the waves beneficial to the goals of the decision-makers.and the Ukes?
So Marj thinks we need to save our M1-A2s to kill fentanyl smugglers sneaking across the border? Okay, she might be a nut. Marj, dear, A-10s or AH-64s might be more suitable in that role.
Sudetenland all over again. Read your history about what happened prior to WW II. The actions are eerily similar to what happened then. Don’t confuse real Democracy and discussion with Republicans turning on each other. Only tyrants have a united front on decisions. I am a Republican that knows we can walk and chew gum simultaneously. I love Marjory Green but do not agree with her on her position.