NATO rejected Ukraine’s pleas to impose a no-fly zone to halt Russia’s bombing. Its chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would not intervene in the conflict over fears of a direct class with Russia that could spiral into a wider conflict.
“If you can’t do that [institute a no-fly zone], at least get me planes,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly said during a video call with members of the U.S. Congress on Saturday.
Unlike European countries, the Ukrainian Air Force does not operate U.S.-built aircraft such as F-16s, so the Ukrainian pilots will need to undergo requisite training for flying these jets.
Transferring NATO’s current stock of 70-strong MiG-29s would be the fastest and easiest solution to fulfil Ukraine’s immediate and urgent need. Poland, which operate both MiG-29s and F-16s, has mulled the option of donating its Soviet-era fighters, but is hesitant to deplete its own Air Force. The Biden administration has reportedly entered discussions with Poland to look into the possibility of delivering F-16s to solve its problem.