Newsweek: Ukraine will have to overcome many obstacles to receive Western fighters
The Kiev authorities are facing several obstacles on the way to obtain Western fighter jets. This was reported by Newsweek.
According to the publication of February 9, experts say that the West will first have to decide which planes to deliver. For example, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to train Ukrainian pilots on “standard NATO aircraft” without specifying a particular model.
The UK admits that it will take months to train Ukrainians. According to one expert, the training can take place ” at the desk,” not in the air. In addition, the British pilot training program will probably not be able to cope with the influx of pilots from Ukraine.
The piece notes that the British promise “is a political rather than a practical suggestion,” which aims to encourage other countries to follow suit and start discussing the transfer of military aircraft.
According to experts, the F-35 stealth planes can fall under the ban from the British side because London cannot afford to lose them. The decision to provide the planes is influenced by the same considerations that have previously kept Western countries from supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles: they could theoretically be used to strike Russian territory.