Allies confirm they will supply Ukraine with tanks

Germany will supply Ukraine with 14 Leopard 2 tanks and has given allies permission to send theirs too.

The US will also be sending over 31 M1 Abrams tanks and provide training to the country's troops.

The move comes despite threats from Russia, warning allies not to do so. Moscow warned Berlin that sending tanks "does not bode well for future relations" - and told the US that should it authorise such a move, it would be a "blatant provocation".

The move from Germany means other countries - such as Poland and Spain - which have stocks of the Leopard 2 tank and can also supply them to Kyiv.

"This is not an offensive threat to Russia," US President Joe Biden told a news conference on Wednesday after confirming tanks would be sent to Ukraine.

He said the US and its allies "will continue to do all we can to support Ukraine," adding that Vladimir Putin "was wrong... we are united".

Mr Biden said armoured capability has been "critical for Ukraine" and the US "will train Ukrainian troops as soon as possible", adding that Germany has "really stepped up in support" of Mr Zelenskyy's troops.

The US earlier said it would provide the necessary training and supplies needed to operate and run its M1 Abrams tanks as part of its "long-term commitment that we have to Ukraine's defence leads", a senior administration official said.

"In addition to the Abrams we're also procuring eight M88 recovery vehicles," the official said.

It is understood the US military aid package is worth $400m.

The Russian embassy in Berlin condemned Germany's decision as "extremely dangerous" and an "escalation" of the conflict "to a new level of confrontation".

In a statement, it said "battle tanks with German crosses will again be sent to the 'eastern front', which will inevitably lead to the death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population".

"It destroys the remnants of mutual trust, causes irreparable damage to the already deplorable state of Russian-German relations, casts doubt on the possibility of their normalisation in the foreseeable future," it added.