Enlarge image
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: Fighter jet discussion expected
Photo: OLIVIER HOSLET / EPA
When Russia invaded Ukraine, the West quickly agreed to stand by the country under attack.
How the help should look like has been explored again and again since then: the NATO countries quickly rebuffed a no-fly zone, but battle tanks are now being delivered.
Now NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that he does not want to fundamentally rule out the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine.
"Support for Ukraine has developed just like the war itself," said Stoltenberg in Brussels.
"Now aircraft are also being discussed, and I expect that this will be addressed at the meeting in Brussels tomorrow," said Stoltenberg, referring to the deliberations of the defense ministers from Tuesday.
"Speed will save lives"
A possible delivery of combat aircraft by member states would "take some time," said Stoltenberg.
It is currently urgent to deliver the promised weapons, ammunition and fuel to Kyiv as soon as possible, he said with a view to the expected Russian offensive on the anniversary of the attack on February 24.
"Speed will save lives," Stoltenberg emphasized.
The fighter jet issue is far more controversial than the supply of heavy battle tanks.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had warned of an "outbidding competition with ever new weapon systems" and the danger of an escalation.
Stoltenberg said the alliance would remain "vigilant" to prevent the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.
On Tuesday, the United States will first discuss further military support for Ukraine with the other allies and partner countries in the so-called Ramstein format at NATO headquarters.
The defense ministers of the 30 alliance countries will then meet.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov is to take part in both meetings in Brussels.
mrc/AFP/Reuters