Zelensky pleads for ‘wings’ to fight war
LONDON: Rishi Sunak has cleared the way for fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine after President Voldymyr Zelensky urged Britain to “give us wings” in a powerful address to parliament.
The Ukrainian leader made a surprise visit to the UK on Wednesday (local time) and used a speech to MPs and peers in Westminster Hall to ask for combat aircraft to help protect his nation’s freedom.
He presented Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, with the helmet of a fighter pilot, who had written on it: “We have freedom. Give us wings to protect it.”
He said he understood how Winston Churchill felt during the Second World War and said his message was simple: “Combat aircraft for Ukraine. Wings for freedom.”
Mr Zelensky implied that he expected Mr Sunak to agree to send jets, thanking Britain “in advance”.
He later pressed the case further, warning that without jets and other advanced weapons the war with Russia would “stagnate”.
He was supported by Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, who called on Mr Sunak to send 100 Typhoon warplanes and 100 Challenger 2 tanks.
Mr Johnson said: “The best single use for any of these items is to deploy them now for the protection of the Ukrainians – not least because that is how we guarantee our own long-term security.”
Later No 10 Downing Street said Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, had been told to look into sending jets as part of a “long-term solution”. Mr Sunak said Ukrainian pilots would start receiving training on “NATO-standard platforms”.
Britain, however, committed itself to sending “longerrange” missiles, raising the prospect of Ukraine receiving Storm Shadows with a range of 400km. Mr Sunak also said that Challenger 2 tanks would arrive in Ukraine next month.
At a joint press conference with Mr Zelensky in Dorset later in the day, Mr Sunak said “nothing is off the table” when asked about jets.
“When it comes to fighter combat aircraft, of course they are part of the conversation – indeed, we have been discussing that … and have been previously,” he said.
“That’s why we have announced today (Thursday) that we will be training Ukrainian air force on NATO-standard platforms, because the first step in being able to provide advanced aircrafts is to have soldiers or aviators who are capable of using them. That is a process that takes some time.”
He added: “Nothing is off the table and our leadership on this issue is something we all collectively should be very proud of, and I know the president is grateful for.”
He highlighted two potential issues – the fact that training people to fly the jets can take three years and the need for agreement from allies because of joint treaties.
Mr Zelensky is now planning to press his case with other European nations in an attempt to broker an agreement. He later met President Emmanuel Macron of France and Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, for dinner in Paris.
Mr Zelensky appeared to dismiss Mr Sunak’s suggestion that Ukrainian pilots would need years of training.
“We will be sending you pilots who have already trained for 2½ years,” he said, adding that the conflict would stall without more weapons for Ukraine.