LONDON: Britain's government said Thursday it was aiming to send tanks to Ukraine at the end of March, with training starting next week.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters that "everything is going according to plan", after Britain this month became the first Western ally to promise heavy assault vehicles for Ukraine with a plan to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks.
Germany and the United States swept aside long-standing misgivings and followed suit on Wednesday.
"We are now in dialogue with the Ukrainians about how best to provide those tanks and make sure their troops get the training they need on them as well," Sunak told UK broadcasters.
Earlier, UK junior defence minister Alex Chalk gave a similar end of March timeline for deliveries as the German government.
Germany, US to send battle tanks to Ukraine, Russia slams decision
British training of Ukrainian soldiers in how to use and maintain the Challenger 2s would start "next week, on Monday", Chalk told parliament.
The aim for delivery of the tanks themselves "is that it will be at the end of March", he added.
Equipping Ukraine to push Russian forces out of its territory is "as important as equipping them to defend what they already have", Chalk said.
Berlin finally agreed to deliver German-made Leopard tanks after weeks of pressure from Kyiv and many of its European allies. The United States then said it would send 31 Abrams tanks to bolster Ukraine.
"This decisive, collective action (will) be a catalyst for other countries to follow suit," Sunak's office said in a readout of a phone call Wednesday with the leaders of the United States, Germany, France and Italy.
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