It seems that Ukraine will soon have the coveted Western F-16 fighters at its disposal in the near future. Training for Ukrainian pilots has already been promised and it seems only a matter of time before combat aircraft are actually made available to Ukraine. Though the decision has yet to be made, says international relations professor Rob de Wijk on the Boekestijn en De Wijk podcast.
And that brings the necessary difficulties, you know. While the Europeans are responsible for the training, which lasts four to six months, the rest is Ukraine’s responsibility. “First, the infrastructure of Ukrainian airports will have to be put in order,” says De Wijk. “Those airfields are not suitable for receiving F-16s.”
‘First we need to put order in the infrastructure of Ukrainian airports’
If the F-16s actually arrive in Ukraine, this will also lead to the problem of support and logistics, De Wijk knows. “Are they Ukrainians or are they NATO people – soldiers and civilians?”
Dancing dolls
And it is precisely the latter scenario that must not occur, says De Wijk. This could have colossal consequences. This would immediately make NATO show its colors. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov has already warned against official NATO involvement. “Indeed, Antonov said the puppets dance when F-16s are deployed over Ukraine that have taken off from NATO airfields,” De Wijk explains. «Even if with the so-called volunteers. And this has ‘terrible’ consequences.’
“What’s next?”
Europe does not seem to fear these consequences. In any case, less afraid of the United States, argued Arnoud Brouwer this morning on the Volkskrant. An interesting fact, says De Wijk, has to do with the emotional attachment of decision-makers to the Ukrainian conflict. “It’s a well-known phenomenon that you then gradually get sucked into such a conflict,” he explains. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing here. Because what comes after the delivery of the F-16s?’
According to De Wijk, this is an issue that Americans take ‘extremely seriously’, and Europeans less so. And this is special, he thinks. “Because if chaos breaks out, Europeans are more likely to fall victim to it than Americans.”
Cease-fire
However, he points out that the F-16s have not yet been delivered, as the Americans are preparing for the next phase of the conflict: a ceasefire. “Biden is now linking F-16 deliveries to this,” De Wijk said. “That could change in two or three months, but for now those planes will only be delivered after a ceasefire. ‘
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.
