May 28, 2023
1 min read

‘Unacceptable escalation’: Russia on F-16 delivery to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been pressing his Western backers for F-16 warplanes for months…reports Asian Lite News

Charging the US and its allies with “playing with fire” by increasing support for Ukraine amid the conflict with Moscow, including planning to provide it US-made F-16s, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the delivery of the fighters would be an “unacceptable esclation”.

“Of course, it’s an unacceptable escalation… I think there are reasonable people in the West who understand this. But everything is being dictated by Washington, London, and their satellites inside the EU,” he said on potential deliveries of American-made warplanes to Ukraine in an interview with Russia 1 TV on Sunday, RT reported.

According to Lavrov, it is Poland and the Baltic States – Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia – that are “executing on the ground the aim set by the US to weaken Russia, deliver it a strategic defeat”.

Some in the West “are already discussing ‘decolonisation’ of Russia, meaning the dismembering of our country,” Lavrov said, warning that “this is playing with fire. There can be no doubts about that”.

“I hope reasonable people will step away from unconditional support for the neo-Nazi regime that the West itself created,” he added.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been pressing his Western backers for F-16 warplanes for months, arguing they are crucial for defending Ukrainian airspace amid Russia’s missile attacks on military facilities and energy infrastructure.

At the G20 summit last week, US President Biden Joe Biden said that Washington would support efforts by the UK, the Netherlands, and other European countries to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16s. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated at the event that the US “will work with our allies to determine when planes will be delivered, who will be delivering them, and how many”.

Several outlets reported that the jets will not be provided by the US, but that the Biden administration would instead allow its allies to transfer their F-16s to Kiev.

ALSO READ: US approves $285 mn sale of air defence system to Ukraine

Previous Story

Erdogan secures victory in Turkey’s presidential runoff

Next Story

AU intervenes in Sudan crisis

Latest from -Top News

Palestine Seeks Record UK Compensation

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cites international law, seeking compensation for land and perceived injustices during British rule….reports Asian Lite News Britain faces a £2 trillion reparations claim from the Palestinian Authority

Khalistan Network Under Fire in Canada

Indian agencies regularly share intelligence with their Canadian counterparts, including on groups like Babbar Khalsa International, but the current focus is firmly on SFJ….reports Asian Lite News The arrest of Inderjeet Singh

India, France Hold Nuclear Talks

The meeting, held on Monday, reviewed progress in bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and explored avenues to deepen the strategic partnership…reports Asian Lite News India and France convened the second meeting of their

Trump to Meet Pak PM at UNGA

The US President has already engaged with Pakistan’s military leadership, having hosted Army Chief Asim Munir for a lunch meeting in June….reports Asian Lite News The White House announced on Monday that

EU’s Kallas Calls India ‘Reliable’ Partner

The EU said its closer partnership with India is increasingly becoming vital in the wake of the shifting geopolitical realities…reports Asian Lite News European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas has reaffirmed that
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Musk settles defamation suit with Indian-American Sikh

Randeep Hothi had filed a defamation case against Musk in

Biden Ready To Meet Putin

President says he had “no immediate plans” to contact Russia’s