Monitoring Desk
KYIV: Ukraine’s air force on Saturday denied a newspaper report saying the country intended to receive 24 fighter jets from allied countries, saying talks about potential deliveries are still continuing, a local media outlet said.
Spain’s El Pais newspaper, quoting air force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat, said Ukraine initially wanted two squadrons of 12 aircraft each, preferably Boeing F-16 jets.
But in a statement shared with Ukraine’s Babel outlet on Saturday, Ihnat said his comments to a media briefing on Friday had been taken our context.
“Ukraine is only at the stage of talks regarding aircraft. Aircraft models and their number are presently being determined,” he said.
Ukraine says F-16 jets best option
Ihnat told the Friday briefing that F-16 jets might be the best option for a multi-role fighter to replace the country’s current fleet of aging Soviet-era warplanes.
Later in the day, Ihnat told Ukrainian national television that allied countries did not like public speculation regarding jets, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported.
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“There were no statements in this regard. These things have a very negative impact on ties. The information is very sensitive, and allied nations do not like it when wishful thinking is presented,” the news agency cited him as saying.
On Thursday, Deputy White House national security adviser Jon Finer said the United States would be discussing supplying jets “very carefully” with Kyiv and its allies.
This week, Germany’s defense minister ruled out the idea of sending jets to Ukraine.
