When Ukraine will receive modern fighters – assessments and opinions

The United States is not going to transfer F-16 multi-role fighters to Ukraine yet, but it will not block their transfer by other countries either, the American television channel CNN reports, citing informed sources. Fears are mainly related to logistical problems that cannot be quickly resolved. There is still “much” work to be done, according to officials, FREEDOM informs.

Western partners started talking about the need to send fighter jets to Ukraine in the first days of the war. Within weeks of the start of the Russian invasion, the Polish government announced its readiness to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukrainian pilots. But then Washington rejected this proposal.

One of the reasons given was that sending planes from a NATO base to Ukraine could lead to the risk of a direct confrontation with Russia. After 11 months of war, according to the American publication Politico, the West no longer says “never” about fighter jets for Ukraine.

“Senior US officials at the Pentagon admit that Ukraine needs to modernize its aging air force with new fighters, after all,” the Politico article says.

Meanwhile, Brussels says that the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine is not yet on the agenda. According to the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, this issue has led to serious disagreements among the allies.

He stressed that now it is necessary to focus on delivering the promised tanks to Ukraine.

According to American journalists Politico, disagreements in the EU could arise after Joe Biden’s negative answer to the question of whether the United States would send fighter jets to Ukraine. Subsequently, the rhetoric of the American president was repeated by the leaders of Germany and Great Britain. But Poland, the Netherlands and France expressed their readiness to provide aircraft.

However, on the sidelines of the White House, the supply of fighter jets is not ruled out, they write in Politico.

For now, the Western Allies are more focused on sending air defenses, armored vehicles and artillery to Ukraine for a possible spring offensive.

“We can discuss as much as we want about whether we will receive or not receive the F-16 aircraft, but it is a well-known fact that a group of Ukrainian pilots-military personnel from the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been engaged in programs for piloting F-16 fighters and attack aircraft for several months. A-10,” said military expert Vladislav Seleznev.

According to the command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukraine has requested about 200 F-16 aircraft from the West.

“I have little faith in the likelihood of just such a development of the situation, but if we get at least a few dozen, this will significantly increase our combat potential,” Seleznev said.

According to Politico, it still remains unlikely that the US will send its own fighter jets. But the White House may allow other countries to transfer their F-16 aircraft to Ukraine.

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