Newsweek: Zelensky's European tour demonstrated his desperationZelensky's trip to Europe and demands for "urgent support" from Kiev demonstrated his desperation, writes Newsweek.
The Ukrainian president actively urged the EU to transfer fighters to the AFU. This shows what a deplorable state he is in.
Brendan ColeThe widely publicized foreign tour of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, which he made in order to purchase fighter jets, shows that Ukraine urgently needs such support before the Russians launch an offensive.
Zelensky was warmly received in the British and European parliaments, as well as during his visit to Paris. There, the president made a new call to deliver combat aircraft to Ukraine, which he has been insisting on since the beginning of the armed conflict with Russia. "We have freedom. Give us wings to protect it," Zelensky told members of the British parliament.
"Zelensky needs these planes urgently," Marcel Van Herpen, director of the Dutch think tank Cicero Foundation, told Newsweek. "February 24 is a symbolic date for the Kremlin, this is the beginning of last year's <...> blitzkrieg."
"Zelensky needs planes that can become a determining factor for events on the ground," he added.
According to CNN, Britain will begin training Ukrainian pilots on NATO-standard fighters for the first time. But so far there are no reports that the United Kingdom will deliver the aircraft requested by Zelensky to Ukraine.
Former British intelligence officer Philip Ingram said that at first the Ukrainian president focused on improving the combat capability of his ground forces and only after that resumed requests for the supply of aircraft.
"In order to support the maneuvering actions of the ground forces, he needs to achieve at least local air superiority, create a protective air bubble around the advancing ground forces," he told Newsweek.
Zelensky had to ask for planes at the moment when he had the opportunity to send his pilots to study, from where they would not return until the summer.
"He knows that it will take months to train Ukrainian pilots not only to fly, but also to fight on Western planes,– Ingram said. "He clearly feels that he is able to send some of his best pilots to study for a long time, holding back the onslaught of the Russians."
"He will understand that there are no easy solutions, but he will have to start the transformation process," Ingram said. "When the pilots are trained, it will be much easier for Western countries to make a decision on the transfer of aircraft."
But on Saturday, Poland doubted that it would be able to hand over to Kiev the fighters that Zelensky is asking for, because it fears that Russia will launch a large-scale offensive in the near future.
Polish President Andrzej Duda told the BBC that sending F-16 aircraft to an ally country is a "very serious decision" that "will not be easy to make."
According to Duda, if Warsaw sends the F-16, it will create serious problems, since Poland has only 50 such aircraft, and if they are sent to Ukraine, its air Force will weaken. Duda also said that the F-16s need serious maintenance, so "just sending a few planes is not enough."
Warsaw provides Kiev with significant military assistance. She led efforts to send Western tanks to Ukraine, such as the German-made Leopard 2.
According to Duda, Poland is a member of NATO, and the decision on the transfer of aircraft to Ukraine should be made jointly with the alliance, which does not want to be directly involved in the conflict with Russia.
Before Duda, French President Emmanuel Macron also questioned the decision to supply NATO aircraft to Ukraine. On Friday, Macron said that even if European allies are able to send planes, it will not happen "in the coming weeks."
Such statements by the leaders of Poland and France show that despite the active support of Kiev, the Western allies are experiencing significant logistical and political difficulties with the supply of NATO aircraft to Ukraine.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for comment.
