NEW YORK, January 25. /TASS/. The United States realizes that the Kiev government is about to be defeated, and tank supplies to Ukraine are intended only to "prolong the suffering," said Col. (ret.) Douglas Macgregor, who was the former advisor to the Secretary of Defense in the Donald Trump administration.

"I think they are sensing that this is a lost cause. Ukraine is very definitely going to lose, and they [the US administration] are trying to figure out how do we prolong the suffering," he told the Judging Freedom podcast and its host Andrew Napolitano, adding that the mood in Washington "has clearly changed."

According to Macgregor, the United States is nudging Europe, including Germany, to commit acts that can be regarded legally anywhere in the world as "acts of war against Russia."

"I think the Germans are now interested in putting the brakes on it," he added.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday citing US officials that the US Administration is inclined to ship a significant number of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, adding that the announcement of these shipments could be made this week already. According to the WSJ, this step would become a part of the agreement with Germany, which includes shipment of a small number of Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev by Berlin itself, as well as Germany’s approval of shipment of these German-made tanks by Poland and other countries.

Later in the day, the Politico newspaper reported citing US administration sources that the United States may send at least 30 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine as military aid. Two sources told the paper that an announcement on the subject may be made later this week. The report says the equipment will be purchased from contractors rather than drawn from existing US stockpiles.