According to Ukraine, the issue of supplying combat aircraft and long-range weapons “could be resolved”. Andriy Yermak, the presidential chief of staff, writes this in a post on Telegram. Earlier today, Yermak said the issue has definitely been fixed.
Yermak’s message came shortly after Ukrainian President Zelensky’s historic speech to the European Parliament this morning. The delivery of fighter jets and long-range weapons then seemed imminent, but now Yermak is backing his shit.
Ahead of Zelensky’s speech, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said “jets are needed to protect the freedom that many have taken for granted.”
Fighter jet delivery
Zelensky has long been urging his Western allies to supply fighter jets and long-range weapons, but there is no consensus among NATO members on this. US President Joe Biden said two weeks ago that delivering F-16s was not a problem.
However, British Prime Minister Sunak has already kept the door ajar during Zelensky’s visit to London. He said the UK was planning to start training Ukrainian pilots. In time, delivery of Typhoon jet fighters would also be a possibility.
Escalation
As with the discussion over the delivery of the Leopard-2 tank, many countries fear that the delivery of fighter jets will lead to further escalation with Russia.
According to foreign affairs commentator Bernard Hammelburg, many European countries are reluctant to further escalate with Russia for various reasons. “Besides European countries fearing further military escalation, some countries also have cultural, political or economic reasons to avoid a broader conflict with Russia.”
The chance of both sides sitting down at the table soon is very small. The tone of Zelenskyj’s speech today in the European Parliament was harsh. Former senior diplomat Henne Schuwer therefore finds it worrying that Zelensky regards the entire Russian people as an aggressor. «He must limit himself to the Russian regime. It is important that you come to the negotiating table and then you have to de-escalate’
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
