Kyiv's ambassador to London, Vadym Prystaiko, says Ukrainian tank crews "will arrive soon" in the United Kingdom to begin training to operate the Challenger 2 tanks, which British officials have pledged to provide Ukraine's defenders.
In a video interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on January 20, Prystaiko said "the crews are about to start training on the territory of Great Britain."
"Crews of heavy artillery systems are already training, and tank operators will arrive soon," he said.
London announced on January 14 that it would become the first country to provide Ukraine with modern Western main battle tanks since Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion nearly 11 months ago.
Britain said it would contribute 14 tanks, with observers speculating that the move could encourage other Western supporters of Ukraine to follow suit.
Germany has resisted pressure from some of its NATO allies and Kyiv to green-light the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, with no breakthrough at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein, Germany, on January 20.
Berlin and its NATO allies operate some 2,000 Leopard 2s throughout the continent but transferring them on to Ukraine would require German approval.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Ramstein that the United States and other allies assembled a new package of arms for Ukraine that they believe is sufficient for success once Kyiv's forces are trained on the equipment.
Prystaiko has called the British tanks "a game changer on the ground," adding in a tweet that "aircraft [are] the next step."
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed the tank transfer during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on January 14.
