A bipartisan group of House members wrote to President Biden this week to urge him to send fighter jets to Ukraine in a move that would escalate U.S. involvement in the nation’s war with Ukraine.
Five House members said modern jets like the F-16 ‘could prove decisive for control of Ukrainian airspace this year.’ Kyiv has long urged the U.S. to provide fighter jets, but President Biden weeks ago told reporters he would not.
The letter was led by Maine Democrat Rep. Jared Golden, with GOP Reps. Tony Gonzales, Texas, and Mike Gallagher, Wis., and Democratic Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, Pa., and Jason Crow, Colo., signing on. All five have military experience.
The bipartisan group first praised Biden for his continued support for Ukraine, before asking him to send the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft or similar fourth-generation aircraft ‘as soon as possible.’
‘In contrast to the current, ground-based air defense platforms currently used by Ukrainian forces, fighter aircraft’s ability to quickly traverse a large battlespace with a significant weapons payload could prove decisive for control of Ukrainian airspace this year,’ the letter reviewed by DailyMail.com read.
It’s just the latest push from Capitol Hill to give Kyiv greater defense capabilities to defeat Russia’s expected spring offensive, though U.S. lawmakers are divided on the matter of fighter jets.
Some say Ukrainians are not equipped to use the jets, while others expressed concerns that the U.S. is already too heavily involved in a conflict where the end is not clear.
Time is of the essence, the lawmakers say, given the time it takes to train pilots on such sophisticated aircraft. But they noted that Ukrainian pilots had trained with US pilots in 2011 and again in 2018 after Russia’s invasion of Crimea.
Ukraine has reportedly identified up to 50 pilots who speak English and could be trained to operate the jets within three months.
Asked late last month if the U.S. would send over the warplanes Kyiv is pushing hard to receive, Biden answered with a simple ‘no.’
Biden said he was ‘going to talk’ to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about Ukraine’s latest request for sophisticated weapons, after just last week agreeing to send 31 Abrams tanks.
Ukraine said it would continue lobbying for the planes, noting the U.S. had said no to providing other weapons such as tanks before relenting over time.
‘All types of assistance at the beginning went through the ‘no’ stage. This means ‘no’ as of today,’ said Oleksii Reznikov, the defense minister.
Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnaht was quoted by Ukrainian outlet as saying that Kyiv needs up to 200 multi-role fighter jets – such as F-16s – to defend its skies.
The U.S. president has been known to change his mind as the conflict to the East drags on – just last year he said that giving Ukraine tanks could result in World War III.
Biden switched course after initially pushing Germany to send its Leopard tanks to Ukraine. German lawmakers insisted they did not want to be the first ones to commit to sending tanks to Ukraine, lest they draw Russia’s ire.
Now 11 countries have pledged tanks, 22 have pledged infantry-fighting vehicles, sixteen have pledged artillery and munitions and nine more have offered air defense artillery, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, told reporters this week.
Milley even declared that Russia has ‘lost’ the war, a point Russia would surely refute. Both sides are prepping spring offensives.
‘Russia has lost,’ he told reporters. ‘They’ve lost strategically, operationally, and tactically, and they are paying an enormous price on the battlefield. But until Putin ends his war of choice, the international community will continue to support Ukraine; the equipment and capabilities it needs to defend itself. Through this group, we are collectively supporting Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory, protect its citizens and liberate their occupied area.’
Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin has said Russia has resulting to pouring large numbers of untrained troops into their war effort.
SOURCE: dailymail.co.uk
