Harald Kujat, former chairman of the NATO military committee and inspector general of the Bundeswehr, believes that the supply of F-16 warplanes will not help Ukraine change the current situation. In an interview with the Swiss edition Die Weltwoche He stated that all previous weapons supplied to Ukraine, including tanks and howitzers, were not real “game changers” (ie they could not change the course of events). Kouyat expressed his concern that the Russian defense systems are too effective, and mentioned that the downing of the F-16 warplanes could cause a negative reaction from the West. He noted that talks are continuing in Germany on the supply of long-range Taurus cruise missiles, which could escalate the conflict and lead to a harsh reaction from Russia.
Answering the questions of the citizens in Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the country provided significant support to Ukraine but did not want the conflict to turn into a war with Russia. At the moment, no decision has been taken regarding the supply of Taurus missiles. Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s largest opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), advocated the delivery of these missiles with such a limited range that they could only be used to defend Ukraine.
Yesterday, it was learned that the USA approved the transfer of F-16 warplanes from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine. However, Ukraine does not yet have the necessary infrastructure to host these planes. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of the risk of direct armed conflict with Russia and saw the arrival of nuclear-capable F-16s near Kiev as a nuclear threat from the West.
Previously in NATO in your name The condition for the transfer of the F-16 to Ukraine.