Pentagon suggests the U.S. supply Ukraine with fighter jets

The Pentagon has floated the idea of supplying Ukraine with fighter jets to aid them in their conflict with Russia.

John Kirby, who is the National Security Council Co-Ordinator for Strategic Communications, stated that the Pentagon “is making some preliminary explorations into the feasibility of potentially providing fighter aircraft to the Ukrainians,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

Kirby did temper any possible expectations of a quicker resolution to the war by saying “It’s not something that they’re going to be able to execute immediately or even in the short term.”

Kirby also went onto discuss the most recent arms package for Ukraine. This package would total $270 million for Ukraine to prevent any further Russian advancement. $100 million of this would be allocated to drones.

Kirby said that the package has already been authorized by President Biden and will include 580 of privately held AEVEX Aerospace LLC’s Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial vehicles. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also confirmed that the package would also include more high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS).

At this stage, the US has provided $8.2 billion in aid to Ukraine. By suppling Ukraine with fighter jets, this would dramatically increase America’s involvement in the war.

Yuriy Ihnat, who is the spokesperson for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has confirmed that talks have commenced about the future delivery of aircrafts for Ukraine along with a training program for Ukrainian pilots.

President Zelensky recently met with senior commanders and emphasized the need for modern weapons to intensify the attack on advancing Russian forces. “[We] agreed that our forces have the strong potential to advance on the battlefield and inflict significant new losses on the occupiers,” Zelensky said, per Reuters.

Zelenskiy confirmed that three people were killed during a Russian shelling of the eastern city of Kharkiv on Thursday. “Every one of these Russian attacks is an argument for Ukraine to receive more HIMARS and other modern and effective weapons. Every one of these attacks only strengthens our desire to defeat the invaders and that will certainly happen.”