US 'disappointed' as Australia transfers Abrams tanks to Ukraine

However, according to ABC, this decision is said to have caused criticism from US and Australian officials, who questioned Ukraine's ability to effectively operate this type of weapon due to logistical problems and the risk of vulnerability to Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the start of the handover during a meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Rome on May 18.The first tanks have begun to be loaded onto cargo ships, although specific details about their location and arrival date are being kept secret for security reasons, according to ABC.

Because the Abrams tanks are of American origin, the transfer required Washington's approval. Although Washington eventually granted the permit, US officials privately expressed "disappointment" over the move, ABC reported.

"Last year, even before Donald Trump became president again, we warned the Australians that sending these Abrams tanks would be complicated, and once they arrived on the battlefield, Ukraine would find it difficult to maintain their operations," an unnamed US official told ABC.

Australian defense officials have expressed similar concerns. An ABC source noted: “We are starting to doubt whether Ukraine really wants these vehicles. The roof is the weakest point of the Abrams tank and this is a drone war.”

Previously, in late 2023, the US, under former President Joe Biden, provided 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.Multiple media sources say the heavy armored vehicles, estimated to cost $10 million each, have faced numerous challenges on the battlefield, including UAV attacks and difficult terrain.

Russia claims to have destroyed several Abrams tanks. In May 2024, Russia displayed a captured Abrams tank at a military exhibition in Moscow along with other Western hardware.

Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, warning that they will only prolong the conflict without changing the ultimate outcome.