The United States is considering a deal with Poland to send Soviet-era fighter jets in exchange for F-16 fighter jets, in the latest attempt to provide Ukraine with a lethal weapon in the current crisis. So reports the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
According to sources within the US government, the agreement will require the approval of the White House and Congress. The development comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Congress for help in obtaining more lethal military assistance, particularly Russian-made fighter jets.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly asked Zelensky to tell him the one item he most needed. The Ukrainian president responded by stressing the need for fighter jets.
He also mentioned the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but reportedly stated, via translation: "If you can't do it, at least buy me a plane."
According to the WSJ, the Russian-made military jets are in the hands of NATO member states from Eastern Europe, and can be transferred to Ukraine. Senator Dick Durbin, the second-ranked Democrat in the Senate, suggested the US help by transferring the fighter jets.
"We must remove every obstacle to providing every measure of support to Ukraine including finding a way for the United States to compensate our Eastern European partners who wish to donate their Soviet-style aircraft to Ukraine," he said in a statement. (6/3/2022).
However, it is not clear how many Soviet-era aircraft Poland has. According to the report, the Polish Air Force has a fleet of at least a few dozen F-16s. "There are a number of challenging practical questions," the source said, including bringing the plane to Ukraine.
They reportedly claim that whether or not to provide Soviet-era aircraft is a “sovereign decision” for Poland, and that the details of any deal will need to be finalized with Warsaw.
"We are working with Poland on this issue and in consultation with our other NATO allies," the Biden administration official said.
Despite the pleas of the Ukrainian leadership, the US and NATO have refused to intervene directly in the crisis. Zelensky has advocated a no-fly zone over his country, but Biden and other allies have rejected the proposal because it could be seen by the Kremlin as an escalation that leads to further violence.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg earlier this week stated that the organization is a defense alliance not seeking conflict with Russia.
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Zelensky spoke to members of the US Congress via video call, reportedly supporting a proposal to ban Russian oil exports to the US. According to the report, about 200 members of the House and Senate took part in the summons.
During the ongoing operation, Biden has made it clear on several occasions that the US military will not enter Ukraine, but he indicated additional military aid of up to $350 million would be sent, including "lethal defense aid."
Moscow has repeatedly warned the West about the dangerous consequences of pumping lethal weapons into Ukraine. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the supply of weapons to Ukraine by other countries will lead to an increase in losses and the spread of weapons in European countries.
Last week, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics requested assistance in defending themselves against troops from Kiev. In response, Western countries around the world have launched various sanctions against Moscow.
Russia has announced that the aim of the special operation is to demilitarize and "eliminate nazification" of Ukraine and stressed that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly insisted that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.