American Tanks Deploy to Ukraine, Expanding U.S. Presence

What happened? The Biden administration is delivering modern tanks to Ukraine, increasing America’s involvement in the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the West for its support but requested more weapons, like long-range missiles and fighter jets. The Kremlin condemned the decision as a provocation.

Why are the tanks newsworthy? Though America’s support for Ukraine has reached over $100 billion, Western countries have only provided the war-torn country with defensive weapons. The delivery of these Western tanks—Abrams M1s—gives Ukraine powerful, offensive weapons that could change the course of the war and is seen by many as an escalation.

Perspectives: Some argue that Ukraine is defending all of Europe and that it needs all of the support it can get, including these tanks. With Western-supplied arms, some say, Ukraine can finally push to retake land and reverse the momentum of the war. Others think America is becoming far too involved, is creating another endless war, and risks the possibility of a nuclear conflict.