Defense Minister Pistorius denied the possibility of Germany transferring fighters to Ukraine because this weaponry is more complex than many main battle tanks.
“This is not in dispute,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview published in the Suddeutsche newspaper on January 27 when asked if Germany would deliver fighter jets to Ukraine.
“The fighter is a much more complex system than the main tank, and has a completely different range and firepower. We will venture into a trend that I always warn against,” Mr. Pistorius said. speak.
Defense Minister Pistorius made the statement in the context that the Ukrainian government recently publicly called for the West to transfer fighters, after Germany approved the transfer of the Leopard 2 main tank and the US announced the aid of the M1 Abrams.
German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Constanta, Romania, February 2022. Photo: Reuters.
Also in the interview posted on January 27, Minister Pistorius said that Germany’s special defense fund worth 108 billion USD, set up in 2022, “will not be enough” to cover the country’s requirements. . He said Germany needs to increase its annual defense budget, which currently stands at about $54 billion.
Mr. Pistorius also called the decision to end Germany’s policy of conscription in 2011 “a mistake”, and affirmed his willingness to discuss a new model to strengthen the relationship between citizens and citizens. country.
Ukrainian officials on January 25 announced that the country’s next task is to urge the West to transfer fighters after being provided with main tanks. They expressed their desire to receive 4th generation fighters, including the F-16, stating that this type of weapon will bring great advantages on the battlefield.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said on January 26 that the US would discuss the idea of fighter aid “very carefully” with Ukraine and its allies.
However, US officials have said that the F-16 is a complex fighter, pilots need to learn to fly for months and require a lot of maintenance, which is difficult to do in Ukraine during the war.
Russian-Ukrainian war front. Graphics: WP.
Ukraine’s air force has a fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets that shipped before Ukraine’s independence more than three decades ago. These fighters are used for interception missions and attack Russian positions.
Over the past year, the US and European countries have broken down barriers in turn when supplying many heavy weapons to Ukraine, but have not sent fighters due to the risk of escalating the war.
Nguyen Tien (Theo CNN)