Despite previous reservations, the Albanese administration of Australia has agreed to provide Ukraine with 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks. This move has been made in the wake of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The latest donation, which carries a value of A$245 million (US$163 million), lifts the total military aid provided by Australia to Ukraine to A$1.3 billion. The overall financial support from Australia now stands at A$1.5 billion.

Earlier this year, the Australian Defense Minister, Richard Marles, suggested that the donation of tanks was not a planned move. However, sources from the government have revealed that the donation required clearance from the US, as the tanks were initially purchased from them, necessitating a formal process.

The announcement was made by Pat Conroy, the Minister for Defense Industry and Capability Delivery, en route to a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. In Brussels, he is set to have a meeting with the Ukrainian defense minister.

Australia, along with New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, forms the “Indo-Pacific Four,” a group of non-NATO countries that will be present at the meeting.

The tanks provided are nearing the end of their service life, and a few will require repairs before delivery. Alternatively, Ukraine could opt to use them for spare parts for quicker delivery. The decision lies with Ukraine.

The Australian army will hold onto a few of the M1A1 Abrams tanks to assist in transitioning to the M1A2 fleet of tanks.

Conroy expressed Australia’s solidarity with Ukraine in their battle against Russia’s unauthorized invasion. He stated the tanks would boost the firepower and mobility of the Ukrainian armed forces and supplement the support provided by other international allies for Ukraine.

Michelle Grattan, a distinguished fellow at the University of Canberra, originally reported this story. It was first published in The Conversation and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.