According to information obtained by Helsingin Sanomat, Ukraine has submitted a request to Finland for trilateral discussions on fighter jets between Finland, Ukraine and the United States. The request came after Sanna Marin had discussed with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi the possibility of handing over the outgoing Hornet fighters. The subject is difficult for the United States because it does not want to hand over fighter jets to Ukraine.
Helsinki According to information obtained by Sanomat, Ukraine has submitted a request to Finland for trilateral discussions regarding Hornet fighters between Finland, Ukraine and the United States.
The request has come after the prime minister Sanna Marin (sd) discussed the President of Ukraine to Volodymyr Zelensky with the possibility of handing over Hornet fighters leaving for the country.
HS does not know if similar requests have been made to other countries as well.
The issue of fighter jets is extremely sensitive and important for Ukraine, which is defending itself against a war of aggression from Russia.
Ukraine’s request for talks is a reaction to the fact that earlier in March, during his visit to Kiev, Marin hinted at the possibility of handing over to Ukraine the Hornet fighters that are leaving Finland. Marin met Ukrainian President Zelenskyi in Kyiv.
The Hornets are coming to the end of their service life and are being replaced by new US F-35 fighters. The first batch of Hornets is going out of service in two or three years at the earliest.
The president of the Republic Sauli Niinistö said earlier on Wednesday in an interview with MTV that Ukraine has not contacted him at least regarding the Hornets.
Ukrainian The request to Finland regarding the discussion about fighter jets also applies to the United States. The handover would require the approval of the United States, since the Hornets were manufactured by an American company.
The fighter issue is difficult for the United States because it does not want to hand over fighter jets to Ukraine.
to the President of the United States to Joe Biden has been under pressure in the country’s Congress to hand over the fighter jets, but Biden has stated that Ukraine does not need fighter jets at the moment. The US fears an escalation of the war.
Also the Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has rejected the dispatch of fighter jets. President of France Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have stated that sending fighter jets “is not out of the question”, but they haven’t given the fighter jets a green light either.
Marin’s the fighter jet comments came up earlier in March in connection with the trip to Kiev, when a reporter asked about it.
On Tuesday, during Ilta-Sanomie’s election exam, Marin confirmed that he had talked about the issue with Zelenskyi before the fighter jets appeared at the press conference.
“No promises have been made at all. But I have said that we have such a situation, that we are acquiring new fighters and we know their schedule. And that this is a discussion that can be held in Finland,” said Marin.
HS asked Marin on Wednesday evening for a comment on Ukraine’s request for trilateral talks on the fighter jets.
Marin did not respond to a request for an interview, but provided a written comment through his special assistant. It does not take a position on the request, but states that Zelenskyi “has raised in different contexts the need to get confirmation of air defense and the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine”.
“I have told President Zelensky that we can discuss the matter, but no promises have been made. I have also told that Finland has made a decision on the acquisition of new fighter jets and that we can discuss the use of the retiring equipment together with the state leadership, taking into account our geopolitical location,” the message, relayed by Marin’s assistant, reads.
Marin’s The fighter comments made earlier in March sparked a wide debate in Finland.
Among other things, the Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen (center) said that he was surprised by Marin’s comments and said that he did not know about them in advance. Also the President of the Republic Niinistö and the Commander of the Air Force Juha-Pekka Keränen commented that there has been no discussion in Finland about the possible delivery of Hornet fighters to Ukraine.
On Tuesday, in Ilta-Sanomi’s election test, the fighters came up again. Marin said that she was upset about the way they wanted to “carnivalize” the issue in Finland.
“When you look at the decisions of other countries, individual pieces are being handed over there. Yes, I think we can discuss with all relevant parties what will happen to the decommissioned Hornets.”
Read more: Marin said that he also talked about the Hornets with Ukraine’s Zelensky – Orpo: “We have nothing to give”
Slovakia and Poland have recently announced that they will supply Ukraine with Mig fighters.
Slovak Defense Minister Yaroslav Nad reported on Wednesday that the United States had promised Slovakia $1 billion worth of arms if Slovakia hands over Soviet fighter jets and short-range anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine. This is reported by the news agency AFP.
The US military publication Breaking Defence, on the other hand, reported the British Deputy Defense Minister of James Heappey promised Poland Eurofighter Typhoon planes to replace MiGs in the first emergency.
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