At a key moment in the war, the US is rushing to get powerful Abrams tanks to Ukraine faster

• The US is rushing to get Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine ahead of schedule, US officials say.
• A Pentagon spokesperson said the US is opting to send an older variant that can get to Kyiv faster.
• Ukraine's forces are currently struggling with Soviet-era T-64s and say they need modern tanks.

At a critical moment in the war, the US is rushing to get powerful Abrams tanks to Ukraine ahead of schedule, a White House official said. 

During an appearance on MSNBC, John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications for the National Security Council in the White House, said the US is "trying to prioritize on the kinds of systems that we know they're really going to need the most in the weeks and months ahead."