UK, Netherlands plan fighter jet alliance for Ukraine

Great Britain and the Netherlands want to form an “international alliance” to supply warplanes to Ukraine. So far, NATO partners have refused. Kiev welcomed the initiative.

Great Britain and the Netherlands plan to deploy an international fighter jet alliance to Kiev – as requested by Ukraine.

A British government spokesman later in the evening, PA news agency, said: “Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak) and Dutch Prime Minister (Mark) Rutte have agreed to form an international alliance to provide air combat resources to Ukraine. -16 procurement -jets.”

Selenskyj appreciates the step

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the efforts of both countries. “Yesterday in Great Britain we agreed with Prime Minister Rishi (Sunak) that we are working on an alliance of fighter jets – training, flight, results,” Zelenskyj said in his evening video speech about the results of his trip to Europe. . He said it was a good start for the alliance. “Thank you all.”

During visits to Italy, Germany, France and Great Britain in the past few days, Zelenskyj has asked for extensive new military aid and support for the establishment of a “fighter alliance”.

NATO partners have so far rejected the delivery of fighter jets

So far, NATO countries have been unwilling to meet Kiev’s demand for modern Western fighter jets. But Sunak and Rutte now want to work “to build an international coalition to provide fighter jet capabilities to Ukraine and support them with everything from training to buying F-16 jets,” a government spokesman in London said. In Reykjavik, Sunak reiterated his belief that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is willing to train Ukrainian fighter pilots, but ruled out providing planes to Kiev.

During Selenskyj’s visit to Great Britain, London also announced that it wanted to train Ukrainian pilots on Western jets “soon”. The Prime Minister announced the establishment of a flight school for Ukrainian pilots. Sunak said this would allow them to train in different types of aircraft.