The Biden administration announced it will equip Ukraine with the mighty M1A1 Abrams tank, a key reversal in the West’s effort to arm Kyiv as it prepares for a fresh Russian offensive, writes CNBC.

The 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which amount to one Ukrainian tank battalion, will expand on the more than USD 27 billion the U.S. has committed to Kyiv’s fight since Russia invaded nearly a year ago.

The tanks will “enhance Ukraine’s capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives”, President Joe Biden said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

“Delivering these tanks to the field is going to take time. Time that we’ll see and we’ll use to make sure the Ukrainians are fully prepared. That’s what this is about: helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia”, - he said.

The U.S. will also provide eight M88 recovery vehicles that support the M1A1 Abrams in its latest security package, which is worth approximately $400 million.