- BREAKING DEFENSE - TIM MARTIN - MAY 15, 2023 -
Berlin's new arms package for Ukraine, Germany’s largest to date and valued at €2.7 billion ($2.95 billion), covers 200 reconnaissance drones, 30 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, 20 Marder armored personnel carriers, over 100 combat vehicles, 18 self-propelled Howitzers and four IRIS-T SLM medium range air defense systems.
BELFAST — With Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia fast approaching, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been on a diplomatic tour of Europe that has led to a new wave of British, French and German weapons heading to Kyiv, including tanks, air defense systems, and hundreds of drones and missiles.
And yet, while the arms packages will be welcomed — especially $3 billion in arms from Germany, the largest contribution from the European power to date — Zelenskyy’s dream of a new fleet of fighter jets remains a politically sensitive subject without any public movement.
"O EIXO DO MAL LATINO AMERICANO E A NOVA ORDEM MUNDIAL"
German chancellor Olaf Scholz “evaded” the issue of fighter jets during a Sunday media briefing at the chancellery, where he and Zelenskyy met, according to the New York Times. The report added that Zelenskyy had previously called for Germany to support a “fighter jet coalition.”
And after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met today with Zelensky at Chequers, Buckinghamshire, he said that the supply of fighter jets was “not a straightforward thing” but approved of the UK being “a key part of the coalition countries” according to the BBC.
Ukraine had previously requested the supply of British fighter jets but Zelenskyy has now dropped such interest and will continue to focus on US F-16s, per The Guardian. The UK has vowed to deliver an “elementary flying phase” for Ukrainian pilots to learn basic flight training beginning this summer. The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that the flying phase “goes hand in hand” with efforts to support other countries providing F-16s.
Today’s visit to London was still a productive one, however. London announced several days ago it would be donating the Storm Shadow, a long-range strike weapon that will give Ukraine the ability to hit longer distances.