McCaul calls on US to send tanks to Ukraine in order to get Germany to do so

The new chair of the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, Republican Michael McCaul, has called on the administration to announce the provision of tanks to Ukraine in order to get Germany and other nations to do so.

He stated this in an interview with the ABC TV channel, Ukrinform reports, citing Politico.

In his opinion, the U.S. needed to make moves to spur European nations into action and help President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine avoid an extended, bloody war of attrition — "a slow bleed without a chance of victory."

McCaul said: "If we announce we were going to give Abrams tanks, just one, that would unleash ... From what I hear, Germany is waiting for us to take the lead."

He said that would create a domino effect, leading other nations in Europe to send Leopard 2 tanks as well.

"Even saying we're going to put Abrams tanks in, I think would be enough for Germany to unleash," McCaul said.

Beyond tanks, McCaul also said Ukraine needs long-range artillery. Ukraine has said it needs more help because it expects Russia to launch new offensives, which McCaul expects to happen soon.

On Friday, January 20, Germany said it had not yet decided on whether to send tanks to Ukraine.