Why western allies dey send Kyiv mixed messages on war planes

US President Joe Biden don rule out providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, upon di renew calls from top Kyiv officials for urgent air support.

Wen dem ask president Biden on Monday if di US go send di planes, e say "no". Di UK also tok say "e no dey practical" for am to send dia aircraft to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, France President, Emmanuel Macon tok say "by definition, nothing dey excluded" ahead of meeting with one Ukrainian minister.

Ukraine say advanced jets go help protect dia skies from Russian attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and di kontri top military officials say no taboos dey on such military aid - but di US and dia partners dey fear say dis go lead to further escalation with a nuclear-armed Russia.

On Tuesday, Ukrainska Pravda news website quote Ukraine Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat as saying dat Kyiv need up to 200 multi-role fighter jets - like F-16s - to defend dia skies.


E tok say Russia currently outnumber Ukraine by five to six times in terms of di number of war planes.


Di US-made F-16s go be significant upgrade for di Soviet-era fighting jets - mostly MiGs – wey Ukraine dey currently use, wey dem make before di kontri declare independence from di USSR for 1991.


However, Biden don repeatedly turn down Ukraine pleas for di jets, instead focusing on providing military support for oda areas.


Oda Western allies dey less definitive though. On Monday, President Macron no rule out sending dia war planes to Ukraine - but e stress say it must neither further inflame di situation nor limit France ability to defend itsef.


Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov now dey for Paris, where e dey expected to discuss di issue with Macron and French military officials later on Tuesday.


Poland - anoda key ally of Ukraine – don also never rule out sending F-16s to Kyiv. However, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki say any such move go only dey possible "in complete co-ordination" with oda Nato members.


Di US announce last week say dem go supply Kyiv with 31 Abrams tanks, reversing dia earlier stance on di issue.

Di UK and Germany also pledge similar support.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk welcome dat announcement but ask allies for di creation of one "fighter jet coalition" wey go also provide Ukraine with Eurofighters, Tornados, French Rafales and Swedish Gripen jets.


On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spokesman tok say e no dey aware of any formal request from Ukraine for aircraft, adding dat "di UK Typhoon and F-35 jets dey extremely sophisticated and take.

"Given that we believe e no dey practical to send those jets to Ukraine."


However, di spokesperson tok say Sunak "don get intensive discussions with military advisers" and "di conclusion be say with Russia advantage in numbers a sustained war of attrition no go benefit Ukraine".


Germany don also tok say dem no go send fighter jets to Ukraine.


Di F-16 Fighting Falcon dey widely considered as one of di world most reliable fighter jets and oda kontries dey use am, like Belgium and Pakistan.


E fit dey armed with precision-guided missiles and bombs and dey able to fly at 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h), according to di US Air Force.


Di F-16's targeting capabilities go allow Ukraine to attack Russian forces in all weather conditions and for night with greater accuracy.


Moscow don repeatedly accuse Nato of bein aggressor by proxy, warning dat further escalation fit trigger a nuclear war.







Additional reporting by Thomas Spencer