France could yield to Ukraine’s demands for fighter jets
Biden announces US will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine
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It is now thought that France may follow suit and approve fighter jets to be sent to help Ukrainian forces. Following his demand for tanks, which was promptly fulfilled by the United Kingdom and the United States and eventually Germany, President Zelensky has now demanded fighter jets.
The comments from President Zelensky followed reports that The Netherlands was considering supplying Kyiv with F-16 jets.
On January 19, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said that the Cabinet would have an “open mind” about donating F-16s if the Ukrainian President made such a request.
Western allies have been concerned about providing western-made fighter jets to Ukraine.
However, the chairman of the French Defence Committee said on Thursday that the nation may agree to send jets.
Thomas Gassilloud made the comments after having talks in London with Tobias Ellwood and Defence Minister Ben Wallace.
He said: “Regarding deliveries to Ukraine, we must study requests on a case-by-case basis and leave all the doors open.
“So we will see in the coming weeks what happens next as things are moving fast.
“The Danes and Eastern European countries are thinking about it.”
Conditions for the French Government to send jets to Ukraine are that it would not damage French or western European security and that it will be valuable to Ukraine’s fight.
French President Emmanuel Macron must also agree that the jets would not be seen as an escalation of the conflict between Russia and NATO.
It is thought that France may donate its older models of planes such as Dassault Mirages, but there are concerns about training Ukrainian pilots and support staff for the aircraft.
Western allies are wary of donating key military aid ahead of an expected offensive by Russian in the spring.
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This is why the UK were quick to approve tanks for Kyiv, with the vow that they would arrive ahead of the suspected offensive.
Rishi Sunak said: “Everyone should feel very proud of the leadership role that we have played, one of the early nations to provide tanks to Ukraine.”
Observers have noted that the next natural step up of military aid would be planes.
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