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THERE WAS CONFUSION after Poland offered Soviet-era jets to the United States, and onto Ukraine free of charge via a US air base in Ramstein, Germany.
The offer came late last night, amid repeated pleas from Ukrainian politicians, citizens and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the West to shut off the country’s skies from Russian planes and bombs.
But soon after the offer was announced in an official statement by the Polish government, the US had said the offer was a surprise.
A spokesperson for the White House said that this offer had been made without prior consultation with the US – which is unusual for how governments tend to operate.
A US rejection of the offer
By the morning the US had rejected the offer for the MiG-29 fighter jets.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the prospect of the jets flying from a US-NATO base “into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance.”
“It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it,” he added.
Although the United States and European allies have supplied Ukraine with weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, they have stopped short of sending fighter jets for fear of escalating the conflict with Russia.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reacted angrily on his Telegram channel to the news.
“We have seen in the media that there are discussions between the American and Polish sides. But we sense that the Polish offer is not supported,” Zelenskyy said.
“We don’t have time for the media, for all these signals. This isn’t ping-pong. It’s human lives.”
Ukraine’s air force fleet consists of aging Soviet-era MiG-29 and Sukhoi-27 jets, and heavier Sukhoi-25 jets – and these are the only planes Ukrainian pilots could fly immediately without additional training.
‘Weaponised’
“If those aircraft arrive from Poland or from the US air base,” security specialist Dr Tom Clonan told The Journal, “it’s an act of war by NATO on Russia.”
“When stinger missiles arrive in Ukraine, they’re disassembled and put together and weaponised by the Ukraine military.
“But if airlines take off from the US airbase or a Polish airbase, complete and weaponised, it’s far more provocative and will be an actual act of war on the Russians.”
Ukraine airspace dominated by the Russian anti-aircraft systems, that’s why the Americans can’t do it.
Dr Clonan added that if NATO were to take such an action, and is seen to be the first to act, then Russian President Vladimir Putin can turn to the Russian people and say “I told you so, I was right about the West”.
He added that though further escalation with Russia seems inevitable, there is hope that Putin may back down.
“He’s achieved a great deal, consolidated hold on Luhansk and Donestk, and taken Mariupol,” Clonan said, adding that he may be persuaded to stand down, particularly because of Chernobyl and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
On whether a no-fly zone would have ever been possible in Ukraine, Dr Clonan said that it worked “okay” against Saddam Hussein in Iraq or Muammar Gaddafi in Libya because “they don’t have nuclear weapons”.
‘Significant’ financial support
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at a Berlin press conference alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is also opposed to the jet offer.
Germany has given “significant” financial support to Ukraine, as well as offering humanitarian aid and some weapons, he said.
“Apart from that, we have to think very carefully about what we are doing, and this certainly does not include fighter jets,” Scholz added.
Trudeau warned of the risk of “expanding or escalating” the war.
“We want to de-escalate the conflict, we want to see an end to this conflict,” he said. “We will be there to support Ukrainians in every way that we can, but we need to be mindful of the best way to support them.”
What happens next?
Ultimately though, the White House has said that the decision lies with Poland on what to do with its fighter jets.
John Kirby stressed that Washington’s stance was that “the decision about whether to transfer Polish-owned planes to Ukraine is ultimately one for the Polish government.”
It’s also worth noting that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Moldova on Sunday that Washington was “actively” looking at a deal with Poland to provide Ukraine with the MiG-29s.
Poland’s decision to publicly float its plan also came the day before US Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to depart for Warsaw for talks with Polish officials.
It has been stressed that this was a preplanned visit.
With reporting from AFP
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Matt a nice guy but he is the establishment and has a D4 bias. Read his vitirol against McGregor yet relatively silent on his mate Hook.
Yates comes from privilege as stated himself in his book. Privately educated the silver cutlery set from his mouth not just the spoon.
Banks good, unions bad, we have to pay for water ah sure give the government a chance….. same same same……. Social media will thrive with this insiders at the helm pontificating.
@John Stafford: Considering Cooper from Cork he done well for himself if he has embedded him in the D4 establishment.
@mickmc: reread my comment. You are extracting meaning where there is none.
The McGregor/ Hook difference is only one example where he suits a story to fit a ideology.
I have met Matt on numerous occasions he is a nice guy but he is full of bias. He defends power and often he defends the indefensible as he is a hack lacking journalistic integrity.
This problem is not confined to Matt and is not supposed to be a personal tirade just the awful state of journalism in this country.
Yates counts DOB as his personal friend.
Dead cat show.
To cut a long story short : you will not get debate here. You will get bias, propaganda and misdirection.
I am being too harsh here. I am sure TV3 are environment conscious and reckon that they can reduce their carbon footprint by asking fellow ” I want your land” Pat Kenny to give the lads a lift home after rehearsals.
Sure they live in the same direction, eat in the same restaurant s and covert in the same bankrupt circles.
Doing their bit for the environment.
@John Stafford: I will be giving this a miss. Don’t like either of them. They definitely won’t be filling Vincent’s boots.
Jobs for the boys as usual! What is News?
@Bernadette Purcell: How dare they get jobs jist because theyre popular and experienced.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: they are yawn material.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: Agree whole-heartedly. If you are in the national spotlight, you will have as many haters as supporters. Bernadette would prefer some long-time Dole mule to get the job, despite the fact they dont want to work.
@Larry Fitzwell: I’d say your surname refers to how well your lower orifice accommodates your head.
It will be a pile of S@$te no doubt, pretty much like every tabloidish tripe that comes out of TV3, the only successful programme ever made on this ghastly station was tonight with Vincent Browne. Matt and Ivan are no Vincent’s , it will be a train wreck, Matt probing the nicetees of his guests, Ivan trying to concut conspiracies/ controversies even from the most mundane guests.
@Joseph Dempsey: What is the point of you? Writing something off before you have seen 1 minute of it!!! Must be hard to live with all that bitterness inside you?
@Larry Fitzwell: god bless you Larry, is that it, is this all you can contribute? It would normally take 10 seconds of my time to respond to anything TV3 has to offer but I was busy warming my redibrex. As an aside perhaps you could name a single production of quality that has come out of this station? It’s nothing but a cheap advertising bill board. Your final inference re living with bitterness has a disturbing undertone so doesn’t merit comment but I can assure you I live a deliriously happy life.
Life is far to short to spend even ten seconds listening to them two posh boys.
I’m expecting a cringe fest
Let’s hope they stick to the current affairs and it doesn’t become a quasi sports affair…there is enough of that on st the weekend.
It sounds awful. Iwouldn’t be bothered watching. Two DOB employees, one an ex-Fine Gael minister.
For the love of god, does everything have to be called “Today” or “Tonight” or The Daily Tonight Show” or some combination of the above!
As someone who get up early in the morning I can’t see myself getting to see too much of it if it’s starting at 11pm
It’s on too late. Why do both RTE and TV3 schedule current affairs programs when most people are heading off for a night’s sleep. Why aren’t these programs shown earlier in the evening instead of feckin Frock Finders and other similar dross.
POLL:
Will you be watching? Come on predictable journal
Mick Clifford : the only man for he job,This pair it will be all cosy and chummy with a few insider barbs exchanged,well that’s showbiz folks.
Will Enda be the first Guest
They are obviously not targetting the workimg audience, the people who get out of bed early have to be in bed by 11
Hope you’re opinionated and as bullish as ever Ivan,not a watered down version
It is an American approach, with 2 questioners of different view points, the purpose of which is to create an entertaining polarisation of outlook.
It is current affairs as light, very light, entertainment.
Who will do the nasty old guff and blather, refelecting the voice of prejudice and anti rationality?
How about discussing the witch hunt that was George Hook where you can’t even voice your opinion on the radio.
I’m not a fan of either of them, I can’t even listen to them on the radio but I’ll have a look at the show and see how it goes.
Better that than “a table with four walking legs,” like I experienced at a seance one night. Straight up. I announced I wasn’t convinced and the whole thing was a scam. A few minutes later I felt the pressure of (heavy) wood nudging me. No pulleys or other devices were in evidence…
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