European Parliament urges EU countries to consider giving fighter jets to Ukraine
The European Parliament on Feb. 16 urged EU member states to consider supplying Ukraine with fighter jets, helicopters, missile systems and more ammunition.
According to a European Parliament resolution approved on Feb. 16, Russian assets frozen by the EU should be used to rebuild Ukraine.
The resolution also says that EU sanctions against Moscow and its allies need to be substantially broadened and that Ukraine and the EU should work towards starting accession talks in 2023.
Critics argue that allies’ reluctance to supply F-16 fighters and long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine will prevent Kyiv from launching a major counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s lack of advanced aircraft and missiles will likely prolong Russia’s war of aggression and result in thousands of deaths.
The HIMARS missiles that Ukraine currently uses have a range of 80 kilometers and cannot reach many of the Russian-occupied areas.
On Feb. 3, the U.S. announced it would supply Ukraine with GLSDB missiles, which can travel for 150 kilometers. However, Bloomberg reported that they are likely to arrive in Ukraine in nine months, which may be too late for repelling a Russian offensive or launching a Ukrainian counter-offensive.
Meanwhile, ATACMS missiles have a range of 300 kilometers.
