Germany to play lesser role in discussions on F-16s for Ukraine – foreign minister

Germany will not play a decisive role in supplying F-16 jets to Ukraine since it is American technology.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated this in an interview with BBC News Ukraine.

"I think it's a kind of inertia in the perception of the arms transfer," says the minister. "People ask, what about Scholz? The position of Germany and Chancellor Scholz regarding Leopard tanks was important because it is a massive tank, but it is German technology, so Germany's word was key. As for jets, the word of Germany is not crucial because it is American technology," the minister continued stressing that Ukraine needs the US consent for the transfer of F-16 jets by any country.

According to the minister, when he communicates with diplomats, the name of this model comes up most often because it's almost the most massive fighter of the fourth generation and is one of the most successful in the arms market.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that there are "a lot of these planes, thousands of them." At the same time, the countries that own the F-16 have started rearming for the F-35 so that Ukraine can claim these jets for its air force.

After obtaining the supply of main battle tanks, Ukraine now strives for Western fourth-generation fighter jets like the US F-16, an advisor to the Ukrainian defense minister said.

"The next big hurdle will now be the fighter jets," Yurii Sak, who advises Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, told Reuters.

Sak predicted that the United States would be crucial in advancing the decision to provide fighter jets.

Jon Finer, a deputy national security advisor in the White House, told MSNBC that the United States would "very carefully" explore the possibility of delivering fighter jets to Kyiv and its allies.

"We have not ruled in or out any specific systems. We have tried to tailor our assistance to the phase of the fight the Ukrainians are in," Finer said.