Following U.S. President Joe Biden's phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, both countries announced more military aid to Ukraine.
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with 50 Bradley tracked armored fighting vehicles worth $2.8 billion, while Germany greenlighted the shipment of its Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Germany will also provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense battery, according to the Chancellor's Office.
On Dec. 24, Germany provided Ukraine with 13 Bergepanzer 2 armored recovery vehicles based on the Leopard 1 battle tank. However, Germany was not ready to unilaterally decide to send Western tanks to Ukraine in 2023, Scholz said, as quoted by Suddeutsche Zeitung.
Yet France broke the ice.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 4 that French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to supply Ukraine with light tanks, meaning AMX-10 RC armored fighting vehicles, and Bastion armored personnel carriers. This was the first time a European country provided Ukraine with Western-made fighting vehicles.
"Until victory, until peace is restored," said Macron.
