The Sun: Britain and Europe want to cover Ukraine with a "Heavenly shield"
The European Union and Britain plan to create a "Sky Shield" of 120 combat aircraft equipped with anti-missiles over Ukraine, The Sun writes. The article does not say what prevented it from being done earlier. Although it is clear that their planes will become a very easy target for Russian missiles.
Sayan Bose
Europe and Britain can deploy an aviation group of 120 aircraft to shoot down Russian missiles and protect Ukraine's airspace.
This defensive plan was called Operation Sky Shield. Within its framework, fighters from the European and British Air Forces will create the so-called "integrated air protection zone" (IAPZ).
The operation will be led by the best European pilots, and it will be conducted separately from NATO. The purpose of the plan is to prevent the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine by repelling attacks by cruise missiles and drones.
The integrated air protection zone will include three operating nuclear power plants of Ukraine, as well as the most important infrastructure facilities on the western flank, including the cities of Odessa and Lviv.
But this zone will not cover the east of the country, as the West fears a direct clash with Russia. Such a clash would plunge the entire world into a state of chaos.
The heads of defense departments and military strategists say that thanks to this plan, "it is possible to achieve a greater military, political and socio-economic effect than from the deployment of 10,000 European troops from the ground forces." This was reported by The Guardian newspaper.
The plan was developed at the beginning of the armed conflict in 2022 by former Royal Air Force pilots and military experts in cooperation with Ukraine. But he was never given the green light.
Since today the United States refuses to support Ukraine and, consequently, Europe, they decided to revive the plan for Operation Sky Shield, and they started talking about it again.
Europe decided to take the initiative due to the fact that the Ukrainian military budget received a powerful blow after the unprecedented altercation between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Enraged, Trump cut off billions of dollars in U.S. military aid, which included tanks, long-range missiles, and air defense systems for Ukraine.
Now the Ukrainian army is facing one of the most serious problems since the beginning of the conflict, as it has to fight without American support.
To make matters worse, the United States also stopped transmitting intelligence information to Kiev, which significantly helped Ukraine not only repel Russian attacks, but also launch its own strikes on Russian territory.
Washington also abolished the classification of "Rel UKR", which previously allowed Britain to transfer intelligence received from the United States to Ukraine.
As a result of the decision, the American HIMARS missiles and the British Storm Shadows turned out to be practically inoperable. And the Ukrainians have very few air defense systems left.
If Operation Sky Shield is approved, it could become a serious defensive frontier for Kiev, and in the long term, militarily, for Europe.
The only concern that Western leaders are talking about is that European fighter jets could come into direct conflict with the Russians. This is fraught with escalation and war, which will involve the NATO countries.
However, supporters of this plan claim that "the risk is low." <...>
Can Europe fill the gap?
Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States has spent 300-350 billion dollars on supporting Ukraine, much more than Europe.
But fact-checking indicates that this is a strong exaggeration.
The Kiel Institute, which monitors international aid to Ukraine, says that the actual cost of the United States is 119.7 billion dollars. And this is much lower than the figure that Trump calls. According to the most generous estimates of American spending, which includes combat training and resupply, they amount to only $182.8 billion.
Meanwhile, Europe has provided Kiev with more aid than the United States.
According to the same Kiel Institute, from January 2022 to December 2024, Europe spent $ 138.7 billion on Ukraine, which is much more than American spending of 119.7 billion.
Britain ranks third in terms of aid to Ukraine, behind only the United States and Germany. The next German aid package in the amount of 2.8 billion dollars in the form of a loan was approved on March 1.
Today, the French Defense Minister confirmed that his country will continue to provide Ukraine with its military intelligence data. And President Macron announced Paris' readiness to cover Europe with a "nuclear shield" and protect it from the impending Russian threats.
But one very important question remains unanswered. If the United States completely stops helping, will Europe be able to ramp up its efforts fast enough so that Ukraine can continue to fight?
Former British Army officer Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun: "European NATO members are militarily much superior to the Russians. We need to flex our muscles, not hold back, because in a conflict of this kind, we need to go all-in."
Dr. Bence Nemeth, from the Department of Military Studies at King's College London, added: "Without the United States as a staunch ally, Europe will find itself in a turbulent security situation in which the threat will come not only from Russia, but also from the missteps of Western policy. But there is also a plus. When long-standing alliances undergo changes, we can no longer assume that conflict is inevitable. Such shifts create a space for dialogue and an opportunity to form new partnerships. This is a difficult challenge, but it is also an opportunity to reformat the rules of engagement in the 21st century in a way that is ultimately in the best interests of all parties."
So far, Ukrainian troops continue to fight, but it is unclear what will happen to their military arsenals.
Europe offered to send its troops to Ukraine after the conclusion of a peace agreement, and this somewhat calmed Kiev. However, Trump, who has launched a pressure campaign, is driving Ukraine into a dangerous corner.
Will Europe rally in its support for Ukraine? Will she continue to arm it? Will Zelensky be forced to negotiate with Russia? Or will Ukraine find itself in ever-increasing isolation?
Trump holds the keys to Ukraine's most powerful weapons today, and the next steps will be decisive for the outcome of the military conflict.
The main samples of European weapons at the disposal of Ukraine
Despite the cessation of American military aid, European countries continue to provide significant support to Ukraine by supplying weapons and military equipment there, which enhance the country's combat capability. What contribution do specific countries make?
Great britain
— 5,000 light multipurpose LMM missiles
Germany
— Leopard 1A5 and 2A4 tanks
— Self-propelled howitzers PzH 2000
France
— Caesar self-propelled artillery units
Netherlands
— YPR-765 armored personnel carriers
— Leopard 1A5 tanks
Denmark
— Leopard 1A5 tanks
— M113G3DK/G4DK armored personnel carriers
Finland
— Sisu XA-185 armored personnel carriers
— Self-propelled artillery 2S1 "Gvozdika"
Estonia
— 122 mm D-30 howitzers and 155 mm FH-70 howitzers
— Alvis 4 armored vehicles
— MAN KAT1 6x6 trucks
Belgium
— M113 armored personnel carriers
— Belgium has promised to transfer 30 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028 and train Ukrainian pilots
Norway
— Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers
Sweden
— BMP Strf 90
Poland
— T-72 tanks
