President Biden says no to warplanes for Ukraine
Jan 31, 2023
Washington [US], January 31: US President Joe Biden has said he will not provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine even though Kyiv is looking for planes to deter Russian forces.
Ukraine is trying to call on Western countries to provide 4th generation fighters like the F-16 after getting a nod on supplying tanks. Ukraine's defense minister's adviser YuriySak said last week that after struggling to get the West to agree to supply tanks, Ukraine's next big challenge is about fighter jets. A Ukrainian air force spokesman recently said it would take about half a year for the country's pilots to practice using the fighters if provided, according to Reuters.
When asked if the United States would provide fighter jets to Ukraine, President Joe Biden briefly told reporters at the White House on January 30, "no."
Mr. Biden's response dashed Ukraine's earlier expectations of receiving fighter jets to bolster the country's air force.
Recently, Politico newspaper also cited a source that US military officials are urging the Pentagon to supply F-16s to Ukraine, but no final decision has been made.
The supply of fighter jets is a matter of disagreement among Western countries. During a conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on January 30, French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not rule out the possibility of supplying Ukraine with aircraft, but he warned that this risked escalation of the conflict, according to AFP.
"In principle nothing is excluded. But the transfer of any weapons must not weaken the capabilities of the French armed forces," Macron said, adding that it must be ensured. weapons will not be used to attack Russian territory.
Prime Minister Rutte, who also floated the idea of sending Dutch F-16s to Ukraine, said there was no taboo but the delivery of the fighters would be "a big step".
On January 29, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that it would not send fighter jets to Ukraine, after Berlin accepted to send Leopard 2 tanks after much pressure from Kyiv and its NATO allies.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper
