09 February 2023 , 18:46
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Several European countries have said they are ready to provide Ukraine with aircraft to help it fight against Russia's invasion, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president visited Brussels today where he appealed to EU leaders to provide fighter jets.
He gave no details about which European countries had pledged to send aircrafts, nor what promises had been made.
However it piles further pressure on Rishi Sunak after the Ukrainian president pleaded with him to urgently send fighter jets during a surprise visit to the UK yesterday.
The PM has claimed it would take too long to train pilots on the RAF’s F-35 Lightning II and Typhoon aircraft.
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A spokesman for the Prime Minister has since said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was seeing "whether we can provide fighter jets in the future".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses parliamentarians in Westminster Hall (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)"You've seen what the Defence Secretary has said… fast jets are not the only capability that can be used, and obviously we will look at the whole suite of options to ensure we can continue to support them in the best way possible," the No 10 official said.
Russia has warned of “military and political consequences for the world” that would be on London’s conscience if Britain gave Ukraine fighter jets.
But a former Foreign Office chief told Parliament Britain can take the risk of sending fighter jets to Ukraine because it would contribute directly to the defence of the UK.
Lord McDonald of Salford said: "Although we are hesitating, although I can see reasons to hesitate, I can also feel the national debate moving ahead of us.
"I think in order for Ukraine to win - and I think it is in our collective western strategic interest for Ukraine to win - we have to do everything we can to support Ukraine.
"The military training is vital. The tanks are important and I believe the jets too will be important. And I think we can take the risk."
Alicia Kearns, the chair of the foreign affairs committee, has suggested that countries could offer helicopters that Ukrainian pilots are already trained to fly as an alternative to planes.
She said the aircraft could be customised with missile launchers for use in the fight against Russia.
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