The United States is considering sending Bradley armored fighting vehicles to Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Wednesday.
Asked if Bradley vehicles were “on the table” for Ukraine, Biden told a group of reporters: “yes.”
The Bradley is an armored vehicle designed to transport troops on the battlefield. It is armed with several different weapons to protect the crew and to attack hostile targets.
The US could announce the transfer of Bradley vehicles in the next Ukraine security package, one defense official said.
It would be the first new piece of military equipment that the US has agreed to send to Ukraine following President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington late last month.
During that visit the US announced it would send Patriot aerial defense missiles to Ukraine, one of the most significant and advanced systems Washington has yet provided to Kyiv.
But Zelensky made it clear he would still need more as the war in Ukraine nears its one-year mark.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday the US is planning to announce a new aid package in the coming days or weeks.
The US has provided other armored vehicles to Ukraine in the past, including Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and armored utility vehicles. The US also paid for the refurbishment of Soviet-era T-72 tanks.
At this time, the US is not ready to send M-1 Abrams tanks, despite repeated Ukrainian requests, two defense officials said.