2023-05-17 19:48:00
“Britain will not provide fighter jets to Ukraine,” Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said during a visit to Berlin on Wednesday. At best, it is regarding training Ukrainian pilots so that they will be able to fly Western fighter jets in the future. The Dutch government also kept a low profile.
There is no progress to report on the issue, said Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra in Amsterdam. The Dutch government had previously announced that it would work with Britain, Denmark, Belgium and other partners to equip Ukraine with the required US F-16 fighter jets. “We haven’t found a solution yet,” Hoekstra said. “If we’re over the hill and can communicate something, we’ll do it.” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday they wanted to form an “international coalition to provide Ukraine with air combat capabilities”, including the F-16.
Training instead of an airplane
After a meeting with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Wallace said the best thing was to train Ukrainian pilots so that they would be able to fly Western fighter jets in the future. The F-16, which is not in the British Air Force’s inventory, is in demand here. “What we can do is train and support,” Wallace said. Then other partners might start delivering fighter jets as well.
He warned once morest viewing the delivery of fighter jets as a “magic wand” that might bring regarding a decision. According to Wallace, Kiev has expressed a preference for the US aircraft type F-16. These aircraft are not in the inventory of the British armed forces. Eurofighters that are in stock, however, are not suitable.
Bundeswehr without capacities
In the short term, it is more important to equip Ukraine with capabilities comparable to those of fighter jets. Wallace said that was already done, for example, with the delivery of the Storm Shadow cruise missile. He also highlighted Germany’s contribution to Ukraine’s air defenses.
After the meeting with Wallace, Pistorius also confirmed that the Bundeswehr would not cede any fighter jets to Ukraine. Germany cannot “play an active role here,” said Pistorius at a joint press conference. “None of these are questions that will be decided in Berlin.” The Bundeswehr has neither the capacities nor the competencies here. Germany, meanwhile, is an expert in tanks and air defense and will also focus on supplying ammunition. In addition, Germany sees an obligation to help with the repair of tanks, for example.
Pistorius also pointed out that the decision ultimately rests with the United States. “In the end, as far as I know, it’s up to the White House to decide: Can the F-16 fighter planes be delivered at all? Can these planes be used for training? These aren’t questions that will be decided in Berlin.”
“We have focused on that and we are focused on what we are doing. This is very relevant now for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday in Reykjavik on the sidelines of the Council of Europe summit. He mentioned tank deliveries, the maintenance of weapon systems, ammunition and the strengthening of air defenses once morest Russian attacks. Germany has already made further commitments in these areas. Scholz responded to the question of whether Germany would participate in the joint alliance announced by the Netherlands, Great Britain and France for the training of fighter jet pilots and the supply of fighter jets.
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