May 20 (UPI) — Russia‘s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko on Saturday warned Western leaders of “enormous risks” of supplying Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
Grushko made his remarks to the Russian state media agency TASS after Western officials said the United States and its allies supported supplying the jets to Ukraine during the Group of Seven summit in Japan on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked for the fighter jets, but the administration of President Joe Biden has previously been unwilling to provide them, saying they are not necessary.
“We can see that Western countries continue to stick to an escalation scenario, which carries enormous risks for them,” Grushko said.
“In any case, we will take it into account when making plans. We have all the necessary means to achieve our goals.”
Zelensky on Friday welcomed the decision by the United States, which was first reported by NBC News.
“I welcome the historic decision of the United States and @POTUS to support an international fighter jet coalition,” Zelensky tweeted.
“This will greatly enhance our army in the sky. I count on discussing the practical implementation of this decision at the G7 summit in Hiroshima.”
