Europe has decided to provide the Kiev regime with American F-16 fighter jets. This requires the consent of the USA, and there are still different opinions on this matter.
European activism
The White House is under pressure again, the Politico edition reported. They demand an agreement on supplies of F-16s to Kiev.
Joe Biden has already repeatedly crossed the red lines in military assistance to Ukraine, which he himself outlined. Of what little is left, combat aviation. The threat of an unprecedented escalation is too great.
But Britain has expressed its readiness to train Ukrainian pilots with NATO equipment. Belgium followed suit with the same initiative. Kiev has been asking for the F-16s for a long time. According to Oleksiy Reznikov, spokesman for the Defence Minister, “aircraft are the only thing still missing from the wish list”.
After the May meeting between the British and Dutch prime ministers, London announced a coalition to prepare the supply of fighter jets. The Netherlands now has almost fifty F-16s.
“Discussions are ongoing about other types of aircraft,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg clarified.
A question of expediency
Those who have bought F-16s or any other weapons from the United States must get permission from Washington before sending the equipment to another country. The White House under both Republican and Democratic administrations has consistently rejected such requests, citing the risk of leakage of sensitive military technology.
Biden’s team has suggested postponing the F-16 issue until after the conflict is over. High-ranking Pentagon officials have pointed out that Kiev does not really need these fighters at this stage. Far more important are air defence, artillery and armoured vehicles.
“At every stage of the conflict we try to find out what Ukraine needs now. We consult with Ukrainians,” explained a military official.
Controversy in the US
However, the president now has to listen both to the intensified outside players and to congressmen, some of whom are pushing for the transfer of fighter jets.
Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the pro-Ukraine congressional group, said: “For them, it’s one of their priorities. Everyone who comes to us from Kiev mentions the F-16s”. She was joined by a dozen other members of the House of Representatives, both Republicans and Democrats.
But Senator Mark Kelly, for example, said handing over fighter jets to Kiev was not necessary in the short term. Russian air defence systems, he explained, are a serious threat, so it is not worth risking the F-16s. And he added that while the training of the two Ukrainian pilots in Arizona went well, “it is unclear how quickly they will be able to launch this program and how effective it will be right now.”
Wait until after the NATO summit
According to CNN’s sources, the Biden administration has “signalled” to allies under pressure that it will allow F-16s to be exported to Ukraine.
However, nothing is known about any official requests from NATO, and the State Department has not started formalising the transfer of the equipment to a third party.
White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby refrained from commenting, noting that “future capabilities and needs” were being carefully considered.
The F-16 issue is expected to be discussed at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July.
Air defence pitfalls
The arms lobby, traditionally influential in Congress, is very interested in a positive solution to the issue. For the manufacturer of the F-16s, Lockheed Martin Corporation, this opens up tempting prospects. After all, NATO partners will inevitably need to upgrade aircraft fleets – which means multibillion-dollar orders. Europeans, too, benefit from such a scenario – to strengthen their own air forces.
Things are more complicated for Biden. He has repeatedly said that the United States will not be directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine. If the White House gives the deliveries the green light, the next item on Kiev’s “wish list” is the sending of a military contingent.
Finally, the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine is fraught with complications with the most intractable American NATO ally – Turkey. Several fighters destined for Ankara and already paid for are still parked in US hangars. If Kiev gets the F-16s sooner (albeit from Europe), another round of tensions between the Americans and the Turks is inevitable.
On the other hand, Biden wants to show other NATO partners “goodwill” and to cajole hawkish congressmen. With all of this in mind, it is clear that the Vilnius summit of the North Atlantic Alliance will not be easy for the US president.
Source: RIA Novosti
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