US DoD: Communication with China to stay open amid declined requests

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Feb 21:56

On matters relating to the possible transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said he had no formal announcement to issue about it.

US DoD spokesman Pat Ryder speaking during Wednesday's briefing. (YouTube screenshot)

US DoD spokesman Pat Ryder said on Wednesday that the Pentagon is committed to keeping its communication lines open with China despite the latter refusing a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following the spur of anti-Chinese sentiment that the Pentagon spread by alleging that China had deliberately breached US airspace and sent research balloons for spying purposes.

"We are going to continue to keep the lines of communication open on our end," Ryder said at a press briefing today.

"Responsible nations act responsibly and we have always been and we remain open to communication to try to prevent miscalculation. Secretary Austin, his office, did reach out to request a phone call after the balloon was taken down. The PRC declined to take that call. So again, we will remain open to communication, we do not seek conflict."

On matters relating to the possible transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine, Ryder said he had no formal announcement to issue about it.

“In terms of fighter aircraft, I don’t have anything to announce from the podium here today,” Ryder said during a press briefing.

Earlier today, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby likewise stated he had nothing to announce on the matter.

On another note, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced today that the UK would expand its military training programs to form fighter jet pilots and marines in Kiev's troops.

On February 7, US President Joe Biden said that his refusal to send F-16 fighters to Kiev was explained by the necessity to keep them in the US.

Although Biden says that Washington won't be sending F-16 fighter jets, the US already agreed to transfer 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine last month.

However, his comments do not rule out any possibility of the US approval to send the fighter jets from other countries to Ukraine, as a senior executive with Lockheed Martin told the Financial Times spoke of “a lot of conversation about third party transfer of F-16s” to Ukraine.