Britain announced that it is aware of the “potential escalatory risks” of supplying more Western weapons to Ukraine, while playing down the possibility of Kiev handing over old Typhoon fighters.
The comments came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London on Wednesday, before moving on to Paris and Brussels to urge allies to supply his country with fighter jets for use during the war in Ukraine.
Britain said it would start training Ukrainian pilots as well as consider sending planes “in the long term”, despite concerns from the United States and other NATO allies about getting further involved in the war.
“We are aware of the potential escalatory risks,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman told reporters, in response to a question about the policy of expanding Kiev’s armaments and the fears of some European capitals of antagonizing Moscow.
“But we are confident that our approach is the best and fastest way to help Ukraine end this war, which is clearly in everyone’s interest,” he added.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said during his visit to Rome that he was working to send British-made Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, but he needed permission from other European countries to send Typhoon planes.
He stressed that “Britain did not say that it would necessarily send combat aircraft to Ukraine,” explaining, “What it said is that we will start training to improve Ukraine’s capabilities, and perhaps after the end of the conflict.”
Sunak’s spokesman said London would continue to discuss “capacity provision” with allies, noting that “every action we take…will take into account potential risks of escalation.”
However, he stressed that Russia itself “escalates everything” in its continuous attacks on Ukraine and the occupation of large areas of its territory.
As the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine approaches and Ukraine prepares for a new Russian offensive in the east, Zelensky is pressing more than ever on friendly nations to send tanks, fighter jets and missiles.
Britain has already prepared 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers and is training others to operate 14 Challenger 2 tanks, which will be deployed next month.
Sunak confirmed during Zelensky’s historic visit that Ukrainian pilots will be trained to fly combat aircraft compatible with NATO standards.
“We want to get this done as quickly as possible,” a Downing Street spokesman said of the exercise, stressing that no final decision had been taken on whether any aircraft would be supplied to Kiev.
