The US And Germany Agree To Send Combat Vehicles To Kyiv, President Biden: The War In Ukraine Is At A Critical Point

Illustration of German Marder combat vehicles. (Wikimedia Commons/Ralf Dillenburger)

JAKARTA - Leaders of the United States and Germany on Thursday announced plans to send armored combat vehicles to Ukraine, increasing military support for Kyiv to expel Russian troops, following similar moves by France earlier this week.

In a joint statement following a phone call between President Joe Biden and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the United States said it would provide Ukraine with the Bradley Infantry Combat Vehicle, while Germany would provide Marder Infantry Combat Vehicles.

US weapons package assistance, to be announced on Friday, is expected to include about 50 Bradley Combat Vehicles as part of security assistance with a total of about USD 2.8 billion, US officials told Reuters, as quoted January 6.

"Currently the war in Ukraine is at a critical point," President Biden told reporters.

"We have to do everything we can to help Ukraine fight Russian aggression."

The two countries agreed to train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use them, he said. Meanwhile, Germany will also supply Patriot air defense batteries to Ukraine, which has scored several battlefield successes since Russian forces invaded February.

"President Biden and Chancellor Scholz have expressed joint determination to continue to provide the necessary financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine as long as necessary," the statement read.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky expressed his appreciation for Germany's contribution, saying on Twitter that "Germany is making an important contribution to intercepting all Russian missiles!"

The decision was announced after the Scholz Government faced calls from within its coalition to increase military support for Ukraine after France announced it would send AMX-10 RC lightweight armored fighting vehicles.

Chancellor Scholz has stepped up defense spending and sent aid and weapons to Ukraine since the invasion, but, like any other Western force, sometimes hesitant before supplying 'empower' weapons for fear of risking direct conflict with Russia.

Chancellor Scholz has also made it clear he doesn't want to do it himself in sending heavy weapons to Ukraine, but rather coordinate deliveries with other members of the NATO alliance.