Aircraft Coalition for Ukraine Will Be Formed This Year – Ukrainian Foreign Minister

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is convinced that an aircraft coalition to provide Western fighter jets to Ukraine will be formed this year.

The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that some countries had declared their readiness to start training Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets, and some countries are ready to provide combat aircraft as part of an aircraft coalition.

"This is all the result of the international contacts made by the president and all of us who work on the diplomatic front. Our priority is the F-16, but we are not refusing other aircraft options. It is the same as with tanks," Suspilne quotes Dmytro Kuleba, who said this during the national joint 24/7 newscast Edyni Novyny broadcast on 16 May.

Kuleba reminded that for the EU countries to decide on the provision of Leopard tanks, the UK was the first to announce the provision of complete Challenger 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine, and France was the first to announce the provision of light tanks.

"Now, this tank matrix is repeated on the aircraft matrix. Again, France and the UK are making the first decisions that prompt and lead to adopting the main decision. This is all part of one effort we are making, and which will certainly give results," the minister said.

He noted that this will happen sooner than Ukrainian society expects. 

"The aircraft coalition will be formed this year. Moreover, exactly when Western planes with our pilots will control Ukrainian skies requires an additional response. However, when the coalition is formed, everything will happen very quickly."

On 15 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed the creation of a "coalition of fighter jets". The head of the UK government noted that the United Kingdom would be a vital part of this coalition.