Politico: Western allies contemplating jet fighter exports to Ukraine

Ukraine’s Western allies are engaged in discussion about potential supplies of new-generation jet fighters to Kyiv, Politico reports, citing military official and diplomatic sources.

“The next natural step would be fighters,” a European diplomat said following the announcement that Ukraine was getting tanks.

Politico was told that many European officials could back the jet fighter initiative if they did not fear a potential escalation of the conflict. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is one of them, for instance. He earlier ruled out any fighter exports, saying that any further military escalation should be avoided.

Washington advocates a similar position. A US diplomat earlier said that the supplies of these jets is a “no-go, for the moment”. “There’s a red line there — but last summer we had a red line on the HIMARS [multiple rocket launchers], and that moved. Then it was battle tanks, and that’s moving,” he added.

A senior European diplomat, in turn, says it is premature to talk about the jet fighter handovers, but countries can revisit the issue in a few weeks’ time. Some officials suggest that at the next Ramstein air base meeting politicians will draft an urgent action plan in case the fighters will need to be quickly sent to Ukraine.

Earlier, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said that Amsterdam would look into exporting F-16 jets if Kyiv requests them. “We are open-minded, there are no taboos,” he said.

Another source believes that the fighter jet supply is “only a matter of when”.

Politico highlights the fact that sending fighters to Ukraine will present a serious logistical challenge to its allies.

US F-15s and F-16s require long and high-quality airstrips which Ukraine lacks. At the same time, Russia can easily identify attempts to build make-shift bases and promptly target them.

US F-18s or Sweden’s Gripens would make a better fit. However, there are not enough of them out there to send a large batch to Kyiv.

France’s Rafales, as Politico notes, can involve a significant number of Western civilian personnel on the ground in Ukraine for repair and flight preparation. These people will automatically become targets for Moscow’s attacks.

Chancellor Scholz earlier announced that Germany and its allies plan to supply 112 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. 

Kyiv will get its first Leopards in three months’ time. The German leader also confirmed that 14 tanks will be sent to Ukraine as a first batch, confirming the announcement made by the German cabinet. Berlin will also greenlight supplies of these tanks from third countries to Ukraine.

Moreover, US President Joe Biden said at a press conference in the White House that Washington would supply Ukraine with 32 M1 Abrams tanks.

French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu noted that first AMX10-RC armoured vehicles would arrive in Ukraine already in February.