Foreign Ministry considers Western plans to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv an escalation

Russia will take into account the plans of Western countries to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the West adheres to the escalation scenario and takes risks, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Alexander Grushko told TASS.

“There is movement along the so-called escalation ladder. And we see that Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario. It involves enormous risks for themselves. In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve our goals,” said Grushko on the sidelines of the XXXI Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy (SVOP).

May 19, CNN, citing sources informedthat the administration of US President Joe Biden made it clear to European allies that it would not block the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. NBC clarified that the US and allies plan to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighters, but the planes may not come directly from the States. On the same day, Biden told G7 leaders that the US would help train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s. But, according to media reports, this training can only be carried out at European bases. Later, presidential adviser Jake Sullivan specified that the United States and allies would decide in the coming months on the supply of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine as Ukrainian pilots are trained.

On May 17, it became known that the UK and the Netherlands would work to “create an international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat aviation capabilities, including training and purchasing F-16 aircraft.”

Back in mid-February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the supply of military aircraft to Kyiv are not urgent issue, but discussions on this issue are ongoing. Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also spoke about the fact that the supply of fighter jets is not on the agenda.

Moscow has repeatedly warned of the negative consequences of sending advanced Western weapons to Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the transfer of weapons would not fundamentally change the situation, but would “add problems” for Ukraine.