War in Ukraine: Europe is not yet ready to give Zelensky planes – but does not exclude them

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s main demand during his two-day trip to Europe this week was that Western warplanes should help his country defend against more Russian offensives expected in the coming weeks.

Although the UK has hinted that it could supply these coveted aircraft, no other European country has made such a commitment. Importantly, they are also not excluded.

At the EU summit in Brussels, where Zelenskiy was a special guest, leaders were wary of sending fighter jets to Kyiv. Some said it was too early, while others suggested they would need the planes to defend themselves against Russian aggression.

However, Zelenskiy himself said he had heard from several EU leaders that they were ready to supply Kyiv with fighter jets to protect the skies, without giving details of the commitment. Officials have not confirmed his claims, but if he is correct, it could mean a major shift in Ukraine’s military support.

Speaking to EU leaders, Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed artillery, ammunition, modern tanks, long-range missiles and combat aircraft to prepare “faster than an aggressor” for a dangerous new spring offensive. “We are talking about aggression not only against Ukraine, but also against Europe,” he said, calling for “wings for freedom.”

So far, when Europe talks about sending new weapons systems to Ukraine, a familiar refrain emerges: how to prevent a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia?

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte referred to the obligation of the NATO treaty, which obliges participants in collective defence. “You have to be absolutely sure that you don’t get into a head-on confrontation between NATO and Russia over Article 5,” he said, adding that the pros and cons of such decisions should only be discussed behind closed doors.

However, these concerns were expressed over other weapons, from rockets to tanks, before finally being overcome.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, has responded with its own famous escalation risk warning to the West, saying Western countries are moving closer to outright war against Russia.

“We see in this the growing involvement of Britain, France and Germany in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The line between indirect and direct participation is gradually blurring,” said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of President Vladimir Putin.

Sven Biskop, director of the Belgian Royal Institute of International Affairs, says guns are moving to jets. “A jet is not a tank that only needs a few weeks of training before you can use it. It will be at least a few months before you can risk someone else’s life in a jet,” he says.

He adds that there is also the issue of accessibility. “Many F-16s have been retired, some are very old and some are in storage. Also, some countries don’t have planes: those who are most willing to provide them may not.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar commented: “We don’t have fighter jets, tanks or heavy weapons. Even if we wanted to, it would be contrary to our policy of neutrality.”

But Ireland and other countries can provide financial and humanitarian assistance. Irish MP Barry Andrews said he acknowledges that Zelenskiy has a hierarchy of demands that puts the Jets first. “Yes, he wants weapons and the EU can only do something about it to a limited extent. But we are doing everything we can,” he said.