UK proposes building ‘massive arms factory’ for Ukraine in Poland
An arms factory in Poland could help make the Ukrainian army more independent (Photo:Jessica Taylor/REUTERS)
The UK parliament has proposed building a large arms manufacturing plant for Ukraine in Poland to counter Russian aggression even more effectively, UK newspaper The Telegraph reported on Jan. 25.
According to the outlet, the initiative was put forward by the chairman of the parliamentary defense select committee, Tobias Ellwood.
The politician believes that Western governments have demonstrated a lack of strategic foresight in their steps to support Ukraine, and this must now be rectified.
Ellwood noted that the decision to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces with Western tanks was the right one, but organizing supply chains for the different parts and ammunition may be unsustainable.
"It’s just not feasible in the long term,” the Conservative MP explained, noting that an arms factory in Poland could help make the Ukrainian army more independent.
“Tanks today, yes. But we need a strategy to make sure Ukraine can defend itself [...] so they can procure their own equipment to their own specification, probably NATO standard, and have a constantly protected supply chain."
The U.S. announced that it would transferring a number of Abrams M1 main battle tanks to Ukraine on Jan. 25.
In addition, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will also receive German Leopard 2 tanks from a variety of countries, as well as British Challenger 2 tanks.
As of today, 73 modern Western tanks have been confirmed for delivery to Ukraine:
- 14 Challenger 2s from the UK;
- 31 Abrams from the United States;
- 14 Leopard 2s from Germany;
- 14 Leopard 2s from Poland.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine was also to receive 90 modernized T-72s.
Another 50 Leopard 2 tanks, according to unconfirmed reports, may be jointly supplied to Ukraine by Portugal, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark. Spain may also supply 20 to 50 units of the heavily armored vehicles, and Sweden is considering the transfer of an unspecified number of Stridsvagn 122 tanks – their local equivalent of the Leopard 2.
France is also considering further supplying Ukraine with a number of its Leclerc tanks.
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