In recent days, the Ukrainian government has repeatedly asked Westerners to supply it with fighter jets. including Wednesdayshortly after the announcement of the delivery of heavy tanks from the United States and Germany.

In particular, these are the F-16 (Fighting Falcon), old American fighter planes of interest to Kyiv. But Washington, like European capitals, is opposed to this type of delivery at the moment, believing it would transcend a new stage of war.

However, this prevention, as put forward for a time for heavy tanks, could not last. ” In December [2022], we had the debate on surface-to-air defense. In January we had the one about main battle tanks. In February we will have those in fighter planes”predicts the entourage of the Minister of the French Armies, Sébastien Lecornu, in an article in the World.

After The guard, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat said on Friday that the F-16s could be the best option to replace the Ukrainian army’s current aircraft fleet, while this latest version uses four Soviet-era aircraft types, he pointed out. “Pilots say there is no problem flying the F-16 (…) Pilots say they could master it in about six months ‘ asked Mr. Ihnat.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh repeatedly asked on Thursday about the possibility of a US delivery of the F-16 to Ukraine during a press conferenceShe spoke up several times and emphasized that it was not a commitment by the United States.

She then brought up the argument of the training Ukrainians need to take control of these types of fighter jets to end the debate: “On the F-16, that’s another difficult system that would require training. (…) More people should [de soldats ukrainiens] Leave the battlefield to learn a whole new system. »