The British premier Rishi sunak and the Dutch one Mark Rutte they announced yesterday that they intend to form a coalition willing to hand over the F-16 to Ukraine. According to some rumors reported by corsera could join, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Romania and Greece. The F-16 to date is the only aircraft capable of operating in a context such as the Ukrainian one. Furthermore, pilot training is much easier, France and England have already offered to train.
In the meantime, the technological confrontation between the Russian Khinzal hypersonic missiles and the American Patriot batteries is recorded on the ground. Of the six Khinzal missiles launched, at least one successfully hit a Patriot position, the news was given directly by the Americans: "it was damaged, but not destroyed“, a US administration official specified to CNN.
The pressing request for fighter jets should also be reiterated today by Zelensky in Reykjavik, Iceland, on the occasion of the Council of Europe summit. A register of damage caused by Moscow in Ukraine should also be established at the summit.
The crux remains, however, to kick off the delivery of the F-16s, designed and built by Lookheed Martin and General Dynamics. To date, 25 countries have acquired the system after approval by the US Administration and Congress. At the moment none of the 25 countries can transfer the fighters without the American consent. A bit like what happened with the German Leopard 2 tanks.
The American reticence derives from the fact that an uncontrollable escalation could materialize if a missile launched from an F-16 hits Russian territory. It is also true that internally the Republicans are putting pressure on the White House to satisfy the requests of the Ukrainian military.
The question will certainly be dealt with at the next G7 meeting in Hiroshima, Japan scheduled for this weekend. The big seven could, therefore, decide to satisfy Zelensky's request which amounts to about 50 F-16 aircraft.
Subscribe to our newsletter!