NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg did not rule out Tuesday that the allies will supply fighter jets to Ukraine in the future, although he noted that any decision in this regard «will take time» and that the priority now should be to send ammunition and tanks to deal with the Russian offensive in the Donbas region.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels ahead of the meeting of defense ministers on Tuesday and Wednesday, Stoltenberg called on the allies to speed up the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and to follow through on the commitments announced. «My top priority is that the allies’ commitment to deliver armor, infantry vehicles and tanks should be made as soon as possible because every day counts,» he said.
The former Norwegian prime minister has put the focus on ensuring the functioning of the military equipment sent so far to Ukraine in the context of the war, after warning that ensuring their maintenance, components and ammunition represents a «huge logistical task».
«It is important to discuss new systems but the urgent need is that all equipment sent or committed is managed and functioning properly,» Stoltenberg has opined on the open debate on the supply of fighters, as requested by Ukraine.
This was one of Zelenski’s clearest demands during his European tour that took him to London, Paris and Brussels last week, however NATO members advocate caution and do not place this step as a priority in their support for Ukraine.
For his part, Stoltenberg has left the door open, marking a distance from the refusal of some allied leaders such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz or U.S. President Joe Biden, after pointing out that allied military assistance has been «evolving» since the beginning of the war.
If in the beginning Kiev asked for anti-tank equipment, artillery or anti-aircraft batteries, now the debate is focused on heavy weaponry such as armored vehicles, tanks and aircraft, he acknowledged. «There is an ongoing conversation in the alliance and now there is an ongoing discussion on the issue of aircraft,» the former Norwegian prime minister explained.
Regarding this discussion, allied sources indicate that an imminent decision to supply fighters to Ukraine is not on the table and that this step is reserved for a later phase of the war, after recalling that Russia has not used its air forces for the time being and this support from NATO allies could mean an escalation in the conflict. «Nobody is saying no, but that does not mean that there will be aircraft (for Ukraine),» exposes an allied source.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
