U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, opening the 15th meeting of Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format in Germany, said U.S. M1 Abrams tanks will soon be in Ukraine.

"I'm pleased to announce that the M1 Abrams tanks that the US has previously committed to will be entering Ukraine soon," Austin said during opening remarks.

He also noted the cruelty of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, stressing that Russian assaults "have reached far beyond the battlefield and inflicted untold human suffering."

To date, at least 280,000 tonnes of grain have been destroyed as a result of Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure.

"Russia's attacks continue to threaten global food security – and to risk needless humanitarian crises around the planet," he said.

He also said the allies have already transferred Patriot, Iris-T, Hawk, NASAMS, SAMP-T and other air defense systems to Ukraine, which "will continue to protect Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, including grain and energy supplies."