Ukrainian President Zelensky has asked for Russian-made planes that Ukrainians know how to fly.
Par AFP
Lhe United States is “actively working” on an agreement with Poland to send warplanes to Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday during a visit to Moldova. “Can’t talk about a timeline but I can just say we’re looking at it very, very actively,” Blinken told reporters.
According to Mr. Blinken, the United States is “in a very active conversation with Ukrainian officials (…) for a very final assessment of their needs”. “In the course of this assessment, we are working to see what we, our allies and our partners can provide” to strengthen the defenses of Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion, he added.
“We are now actively looking at the question of planes that Poland could supply to Ukraine and are now looking at how we could compensate if Poland decides to supply these planes”, added the Secretary of State.
Several American media have mentioned a possible agreement between the United States and Poland for Warsaw to supply Ukraine with Soviet-era warplanes in exchange for American F-16 fighter jets. “We are working with the Poles on this issue and we are consulting our other NATO allies,” said a White House official, quoted by the Wall Street Journal and NBC.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing two people who took part in a virtual exchange on Saturday between the Ukrainian president and elected members of the United States Congress, the Ukrainian president asked for fighter jets when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked him what he needed most.
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