Ramstine: As Germany failed to commit to its much-desired Leopard vehicles for a possible spring offensive by Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that there was no choice but for the West to deliver the heavy tanks to Ukraine.

About 50 Ukraine's allies rallied under the US leadership and delivered billions of dollars worth of military equipment, including much of the armored vehicles and ammunition needed to repel Russian forces.

However, Zelensky stressed that he also needed battle tanks because, according to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Ukraine was planning to launch an offensive against Russian troops in the coming weeks.

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Austin told he meeting in Ramstein, "We have a window of opportunity between now and the spring ... their counter-attack whenever they start their operation."

In a video address, Zelensky urged the group to "expedite" the arms shipments, specifically stressing the need for Germany's Leopard tanks. "We make it clear every day that there is no other option and a choice must be made regarding the tanks," he said.

Ahead of the Ukraine Contact Group meeting, which was to be attended by a group of arms suppliers led by Austin, hopes had grown that Germany would at least agree to allow other nations to transfer the Leopard to Kyiv's military. operate to.

Germany's hesitation is still a mystery, especially since Britain has agreed to send 14 of its Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters, "We still cannot say when the decision will be made and what the decision will be when it comes to the Leopard tank."

In response to allegations that Germany was not doing enough to aid Kyiv, Austin defended Germany. Austin insisted that while Berlin was a "reliable ally", "we could all do more."

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According to US officials, 11 months after their invasion, Russian forces still control a fifth of Ukraine. However, he did mention the possibility of a future Ukrainian invasion that could retake some of it.

General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted the large scale of equipment pledged by Ukraine in Ramstein, including a large portion of armored vehicles and artillery, as well as the extensive training of its forces by the allies.

As for liberating Ukrainian territory as much as possible, Milley said, "I think it is very possible for the Ukrainians to conduct a significant tactical or even operational-level offensive operation."

A senior White House official said on condition of anonymity that Kyiv should focus on organizing a significant counteroffensive against Russian forces instead of defending the eastern city of Bakhmut at all costs.

The officer claimed that Ukraine had gained little from the months-long defense of Bakhmut and that a Russian victory there would not significantly change the course of the war.

The official recommended that Ukraine instead focus on building a more capable and well-armed force capable of launching an offensive in the south.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin issued a warning on Friday that Western tanks would not make much difference. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, "one should not underestimate the importance of such supplies in terms of their ability to change something."

According to Peskov, "we see an adherence to dramatic confusion about Ukraine's chances of succeeding on the battlefield." "This will cause more issues for Ukraine, but it will not prevent the Russian side from making progress towards its objectives."

The siege of Bakhmut was barely over, as a couple watched helplessly on Friday as their burning house burned down after a shell exploded across the street from their apartment building in the city. "Look, look, this is my flat, this is my only flat," said Olga Tomakh, 70, who was on the verge of crying.

The first UN humanitarian convoy reached the town of Soledar, about 15 km from Bakhmut, which had been largely reduced to rubble.

Both sides have suffered significant losses in the fighting, which Russia claims has taken Soledar, but Ukraine says it is still ongoing.

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The Wagner private military group, which commanded the Bakhmut-Soldar operation, is formally designated as an "international criminal organization" according to the United States.

According to the White House, the private army had developed as a rival to the official Russian military, which featured US intelligence images of North Korea supplying Wagner with weapons for his operations in Ukraine.