The first of four Leopard 2 tanks, which Ottawa decided to transfer to Kyiv, has already left Canada. Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand announced this.
Today, a Royal Canadian Air Force plane took off from Halifax with the first Leopard 2 main battle tank that Canada is sending to Ukraine. Canada supports the people of Ukraine, and we will continue to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the equipment necessary for victory," the minister wrote on Twitter.
She also posted a video from the airport and noted that Canada's support for Ukraine is unwavering.
On January 26, the Minister of Defense announced that Canada will send 4 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
As previously reported by the Voice of America , among the countries that announced sending tanks to Ukraine: Spain, Sweden, Portugal, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, France, Norway, Canada, Great Britain and the USA. In particular, the USA will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, Germany plans to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks, and 14 Challenger 2 heavy tanks will come from Great Britain.
31 tanks from the USA, which will constitute an entire tank battalion, will be purchased as part of the US Security Assistance Initiative for Ukraine. It will take several months, the White House said.
US President Joe Biden, announcing the provision of tanks, said: "This is about freedom, freedom for Ukraine, freedom everywhere. This is the world we want to live in, and the world we want to leave to our children. So may God protect the brave Ukrainians defenders".
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