Russia has issued a warning that there will be significant risks if the West proceeds with its plan to provide fighter jets F-16s to Ukraine.
“We can see that Western countries are continuing to pursue an escalation scenario. This will bring about great risks for them. In any case, we will take that into account when planning. We have all the necessary means to achieve our goals,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko on the sidelines of the 31st meeting of the Russian Foreign and Defense Policy Council on May 20.
Previously, NBC News reported that the United States and its allies intend to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which could be provided by Washington’s allies. At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, US President Joe Biden stated that Washington would support international actions in training Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets.
Meanwhile, two NATO countries, the UK and the Netherlands, have agreed to form an international alliance to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in response to Russia.
On May 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Checkers, the British Prime Minister’s country residence. Zelensky stated that the two leaders discussed the topic of fighter jets “because Ukraine cannot control its airspace,” and actively sought to persuade the United States and other Western countries to provide fighter jets.
In February, the UK announced that they would begin training Ukrainian pilots to NATO standards. On May 15, they reiterated this plan, emphasizing that it aims to “build a new Ukrainian air force with F-16 fighter jets according to NATO standards.”