US to send advanced Abrams tanks to Ukraine, legally cannot send depleted uranium

The United States government plans to send more advanced Abrams tanks to Ukraine as part of the aid package announced by President Biden this week, but is barred by law from sending the ingredient that makes the US tanks so powerful – depleted uranium. 

First reported by Politico, who spoke with sources who have knowledge of the negotiations, the US will send a more advanced version of its Abrams battle tanks than previously thought to Ukraine for use in its fight against Russia’s ongoing assault. According to Politico, the M1A2 configuration of the Abrams tanks instead of the more obsolete A1 version will be sent to Kyiv. 

The tanks being sent to Ukraine, however, will be missing an important element that makes them so powerful: depleted uranium. The US government is barred by law from sending depleted uranium overseas, and typically strips the US-made tanks of the element before selling or delivering them to foreign governments. The depleted uranium has a high density, making it useful as outer armor for tanks as well as in bullets. 

Ukraine will receive tanks from the United Kingdom and Germany as well, after weeks of intense negotiations and deliberations by western allies over whether to supply them to President Zelensky, who has been asking for them for months. The war in Ukraine has almost reached its one-year mark and Russia is showing no signs of slowing down its assault. NBC reported this week that President Biden is contemplating a trip to Europe that would take place the week of the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.