UK, Netherlands pledge fighter jet coalition for Ukraine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 May 2023 08:29

As Ukraine's alleged spring offensive looms, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte vowed to build an "international coalition" to provide fighter jet supplies for Kiev.

An F16 jet fighter during a training flight (Reuters)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday vowed to build an "international coalition" to provide fighter jet supplies for Ukraine.

"The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Rutte agreed they would work to build (an) international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat air capabilities, supporting with everything from training to procuring F16 jets," a spokesperson for Sunak's Downing Street office said in a statement after a meeting at the Council of Europe Summit in Iceland.

After British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his Chequers country residence outside London on Monday, Zelensky said he was "very positive" about creating a "jets coalition" in his country.

Following the meeting, Sunak has also promised that the UK would train Ukrainian pilots this summer and would aid Kiev "hand in hand" in "efforts to work with other countries on providing F-16 jets" to Zelensky's government.

"We want to create this jets coalition and I am very positive about it," said the Ukrainian President who arrived in the UK after visiting Rome, Berlin, and Paris.

He added, "I see that in the closest time, you will hear some, I think, very important decisions, but we have to work a little bit more on it."

Furthermore, Sunak stated that Britain will deliver hundreds of air defense missiles and unmanned aerial systems, including long-range attack drones that boast a range of more than 200 km in the upcoming months.

Concurrently, French President Emmanuel Macron offered to train Ukrainian fighter pilots but ruled out sending warplanes to Kiev.

In response, the Kremlin stated on Monday that the UK's actions are "extremely negative" as Britain and other Western countries seek to rejuvenate Ukrainian forces, extending its war with Russia, rather than pushing for peace talks between the two sides, which would put an end to the conflict that has had detrimental effects on Europe and the world economy in general.