{"id":154740,"date":"2023-01-25T21:09:12","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T05:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=154740"},"modified":"2023-01-25T21:09:12","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T05:09:12","slug":"president-biden-on-continued-support-sending-a-division-of-m1-abrams-tanks-to-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=154740","title":{"rendered":"President Biden on Continued Support &#038; Sending a Division of M1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good almost morning. It\u2019s exactly noon. Thank you for being here.  Yesterday marked 11 months since Russia\u2019s brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine; 11 months in which the Ukrainian people have showed Putin and the world the full force of their courage and the indomitable determination to live free.  And through every single step of this horrific war, the American people have been strong and unwavering in their support.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9ks6Ifhg6_w\" title=\"President Biden Delivers Remarks on Continued Support for Ukraine\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>And Democrats and Republicans in Congress have stood together. The United States has worked in lockstep with our Allies and partners around the world to make sure the Ukrainian people are in the strongest possible position to defend their nation, their families, and against the brutal \u2014 the truly brutal aggression of Russia. We haven\u2019t seen the likes of this in a long time.<\/p>\n<p>The United States and Europe are fully united.<\/p>\n<p>This morning, I had a long conversation with our NATO Allies \u2014 German Chancellor Scholz, French President Macron, Prime Minister Sunak, and the Italian Prime Minister, Meloni \u2014 to continue our close coordination in our full support of Ukraine. Because you all know \u2014 I\u2019ve been saying this a long time \u2014 the expectation on the part of Russia is we\u2019re going to break up, we\u2019re not going to stay united. But we are fully, thoroughly, totally united.<\/p>\n<p>With spring approaching, the Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for additional counter-offensives. To liberate their land, they need to be able to counter Russia\u2019s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term.<\/p>\n<p>They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain.<\/p>\n<p>And they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term.<\/p>\n<p>The Secretary of State and the Secretary of the \u2014 of the military are behind me. Are \u2014 they \u2014 they\u2019ve been deeply, deeply involved in this \u2014 this whole effort.<\/p>\n<p>Armored capability, as General Austin will tell you, spe- \u2014 is \u2014 has been \u2014 has been critical. And that\u2019s why the United States has committed hundreds of armored fighting vehicles to date, including more than 500 as part of the assistance package we announced last Friday.<\/p>\n<p>And today \u2014 today, I\u2019m announcing that the United States will be sending 31 Abram tanks to Ukraine, the equivalent of one Ukrainian battalion.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary Austin has recommended this step because it will enhance the Ukraine\u2019s capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives.<\/p>\n<p>The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world. They\u2019re also extremely complex to operate and maintain, so we\u2019re also giving Ukraine the parts and equipment necessary to effectively sustain these tanks on the battlefield.<\/p>\n<p>And we begi- \u2014 we\u2019ll begin to train the Ukrainian troops on these issues of sustainment, logistics, and maintenance as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Delivering these tanks to the field is going to take time, time that we\u2019ll see \u2014 we\u2019ll use to make sure the Ukrainians are fully prepared to integrate the Abram tanks into their defenses.<\/p>\n<p>We also closely coordinated this announcement with our Allies.<\/p>\n<p>The American contribution will be joined by an additional announcement, including that will be \u2014 will be readily available and more easily integrated for use on the battlefield in the coming weeks and months from other countries.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m grateful to Chancellor Scholz for providing German Leopard 2 tanks and will lead an effort to organize the European contribution of two tank battalions for Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>I want to thank the Chancellor for his leadership and his steadfast commitment to our collective efforts to support Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Germany has really stepped up, and the Chancellor has been a strong, strong voice for unity \u2014 a close friend \u2014 and for the level of effort we\u2019re going to continue.<\/p>\n<p>Supporting Ukraine\u2019s ability to fight off Russian aggression to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity is a worldwide commitment. Not just lo- \u2014 it\u2019s worldwide commitment.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, Germany \u2014 in Germany, Secretary Austin convened the Ukraine Defense Contact Group for the eighth time. This group is made up of some 50 nations \u2014 50 nations \u2014 each making significant contributions of their own to Ukraine\u2019s integrity, each fully committed to making Ukraine remain strong and independent and able to defend itself against Russian threats and violence.<\/p>\n<p>I want to thank every member of that coalition for continuing to step up.<\/p>\n<p>The UK \u2014 the United Kingdom \u2014 recently announced that it is donating Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. France is contributing AMX-10s, armored fighting vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the Leopard tanks that Germany, like the United States, is also \u2014 Germany is also sending a pat- \u2014 a Patriot missile battery. The Netherlands is donating a Patriot missile and launchers.<\/p>\n<p>France, Canada, the UK, Slovakia, Norway, and others have all donated critical air defense systems to help secure Ukrainian skies and save the lives of innocent civilians who are literally the target \u2014 the target of Russia\u2019s aggression.<\/p>\n<p>Poland is sending armored vehicles. Sweden is donating infantry fighting vehicles. Italy is giving artillery. Denmark and Estonia are sending howitzers. Latvia is providing more Stinger missiles. Lithuania is providing anti-aircraft guns. And Finland recently announced its largest package of security assistance to date.<\/p>\n<p>You may remember, when I was asked a while ago, what I think was going to happen. And I said \u2014 I let Putin know. He thought that he was going to have \u2014 end up with the Findalization [Finlandization] of Europe. Well, he\u2019s got the NATOization of Finland. He\u2019s gotten something that he never intended.<\/p>\n<p>Together with our Allies and partners, we\u2019ve sent more than 3,000 armored vehicles, more than 8,000 [800] artillery systems, more than 2 million rounds of artillery ammunition, and more than 50 advanced multi-launch rocket systems, anti-ship and air defense systems, all to help counter Ukraine\u2019s [Ukraine counter] brutal aggression that is happening because of Russia.<\/p>\n<p>And, look, today\u2019s announcement builds on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world, led by the United States of America, to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what this is about: helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. We are \u2014 there is no offensive threat to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>If Russian troops returned to Russia, they\u2019ll be there for \u2014 where they belong, and this war would be over today.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what we all want: an end to this war in just and lasting terms.<\/p>\n<p>You know, our teams do not permit one nation \u2014 we\u2019re not going to allow one nation to steal a neighbor\u2019s territory by force.<\/p>\n<p>Our terms that preserve Russia\u2019s sovereign \u2014 Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity and honor the U.N. Charter, that\u2019s our \u2014 they\u2019re the terms we\u2019re working on.<\/p>\n<p>And, you know, these are \u2014 these the terms we all signed up for and 143 nations voted for in the United Nations General Assembly last October.<\/p>\n<p>So, the United States, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with<br \/>\nour Allies and partners, is going to continue to do all we can to support Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Putin expected Europe and the United States to weaken our resolve. He expected our support for Ukraine to crumble with time. He was wrong. He was wrong. And he was wrong from the beginning, and he continues to be wrong.<\/p>\n<p>We are united. America is united and so is the world.<\/p>\n<p>And we approach the one-year mark \u2014 as we do \u2014 of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we remain as united and determined as ever in our conviction and our cause.<\/p>\n<p>These tanks are further evidence of our enduring and unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of the Ukrainian forces.<\/p>\n<p>As I told President Zelenskyy when he was here \u2014 and today is his birthday, by the way \u2014 in December: We\u2019re with you for as long as it takes, Mr. President.<\/p>\n<p>Ukrainians are fighting an age-old battle against aggression and domination. It\u2019s a battle Americans have fought proudly time and again, and it\u2019s a battle we\u2019re going to make sure the Ukrainians are well equipped to fight as well.<\/p>\n<p>This is about freedom. Freedom for Ukraine, freedom everywhere. It\u2019s about the kind of world we want to live in and the world we want to leave our children.<\/p>\n<p>So, may God protect the brave Ukrainian defenders of their country who keep the flame of liberty burning brightly as we can.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you.<\/p>\n<p>Q Mr. President, why are you taking this decision now? Did Germany force you to change your mind on sending tanks?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) Germany didn\u2019t force me to change my mind. We wanted to make sure we were all together. And that\u2019s what we were going to do all along, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing right now.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good almost morning. It\u2019s exactly noon. Thank you for being here. Yesterday marked 11 months since Russia\u2019s brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine; 11 months in which the Ukrainian people have showed Putin and the world the full force of their courage and the indomitable determination to live free. And through every single step of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-154740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Fullscreen-capture-1252023-90726-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=154740"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154742,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154740\/revisions\/154742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/154741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=154740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=154740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=154740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}