Interesting. Israeli sources report that sale of several hundred of decommissioned Merkava MK2 and Merkava MK3 tanks has been approved to two unnamed European countries. (This is the first sale ever of Merkava tanks, BTW). https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/skugq500p2
Biden is hellbent on wanting Ukraine in the Nato, virtually guaranteeing a limitless continuation of the war in Ukraine. Russia will never accept the Ukraine joining NATO just as the US never accepted the stationing of nuclear war heads in Cuba. As much as I dislike Tucker Carlson as a person he was spot on with his latest segment on Twitter. The old guard in the US is bell bent on war mongering because it furthers their goals and lines their pockets. I hope European nato members will shoot down this Nato expansion desire. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/06/14/politics/ukraine-nato-joe-biden/index.html
Israel plans first-ever sale of flagship Merkava tank to European country ........ "Yair Kulas, head of the Defense Ministry export coordination department SIBAT, said record demand for Israeli products was due in part to countries wanting to replenish their arsenals after providing Ukraine with weapons for its war with Russia." ........ https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-746428
Most likely those Merkava tanks will be sold with the condition that they cannot be used in Ukraine. Israel does not dare to mess directly with Putin because of his influence/control in Syria. But it allows the European countries to give more of their tanks to Ukraine and then use the Merkavas to protect their homefront while their tanks are off in Ukraine. This is somewhat like what the Americans are doing with the fighter planes and tanks. Giving more to the Europeans so that they could give theirs to Ukraine. It would be nice too if the Israelis provided some ammo to go with those tanks.
The ammo that goes with those tanks is standard NATO issue. Can be supplied by Israel or anyone else.
Bibi recently had a talk with Putin about curtailing sales of Russian arms to Iran. And was told that it was none of his business who Russia sells arms to. Almost immediately after that we get this news about sales of Merkava to "unnamed" European countries. May not be a coincidence.
Yeh. Iran is selling plenty of arms and mega-mega-numbers of drones to Russia too. So they have a big love-fest arms cooperation arrangement in process. Iranians are already working in Russia at the huge new drone factory being built. Bibi needs to think through how much coziness he is going to allow- especially since Israel is going to need Ukraine as an ally in the future. I presume the west is going to let them build it, then take it out with long range missiles that no one knows where they came from. https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/us-russia-iran-drone-factory/index.html
Just you wait, he'll unleash the might of the elite Russian army on reserve when they fall into the trap. MAGA vatniks have promised me so.