The U.K. and other NATO allies have been reluctant to send Ukraine fighter jets, but British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the U.K. has agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard aircraft
that the U.K. has agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard aircraft.
The U.K. and other NATO allies have been reluctant to send Ukraine fighter jets such as Britain’s Typhoons and U.S.-made F-16s. Ukraine views the aircraft as vital to providing cover for ground forces and shooting down Russian drones and missiles. However, Western officials have argued that training fighter pilots can take years, so the jets would only be a long-term solution for Ukraine.
He flew to Paris late Wednesday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. On Thursday, he was expected to travel to Brussels and address the summit of the leaders of the European Union’s 27 member countries. “I appeal to you and the world with simple and yet most important words: combat aircraft for Ukraine. Wings for freedom,” he said. He paused briefly during his remarks and handed the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the helmet of a Ukrainian fighter pilot. It was inscribed with the words “We have freedom. Give us wings to protect it.”
Britain has been a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 of last year. The U.K. provided £2.3-billion in military assistance to Ukraine in 2022, and the government has committed the same amount for this year. That is second only to the U.S., which has contributed US$26.7-billion worth of military hardware since last February.
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