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hiroshimatargeted in 1945 by the first atomic bomb, is projected to the world as a reminder of what happens when a brutal and bloody conflict escalates into a nuclear war. For this reason, at a time of growing tensions between the West and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, it is not surprising that the Japanese city has been the setting chosen for celebrate the new G7 summit.
Starting this Friday and for three days, the leaders of the great industrialized democracies meet in Japan to discuss two big themes: how to further and better arm the Ukrainian army as it prepares to launch its counter-offensive and how to contain – and even counter – Chinese expansionism.
In addition to the heads of state and government of the countries of the group -Japan, Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy and the United Kingdom-, the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, which will address its allies telematically. It will not be the first time that he has done so, since in June 2022 she participated, also by videoconference, in the meetings that were taking place in Schloss ElmauGermany.
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On that occasion, Zelensky asked the members of the G7 to provide him with air defense systemsmore sanctions against his aggressor and help to be able to export his cereal after the Russian blockade of the Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.
Now the ports are operational and Ukraine has with Patriot systems, which have allowed it to shield the skies of the capital even from the six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that – according to Kiev – Moscow has launched this week. Priorities have changed and Zelenski has been trying to communicate it to his allies: You want modern fighter jets to protect the entire territory from the guided glide bombs that the Kremlin uses to hit targets far from the front.
In fact, the kyiv government already knows what its favorites are: the multipurpose F-16s, manufactured in the United States by Lockheed-Martin. However, “they do not rule out other options”, as the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said recently in statements collected by Reuters.
Thus, it is to be expected that this will be the main claim of the Ukrainian president at the weekend summit. On this occasion, however, it will count in advance with the support of the United Kingdom, which has promised to lead an international effort to send fighter jets and which, together with to the Netherlands, Belgium and Francehas announced that it will train Ukrainian pilots to learn how to use Western aircraft.
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Zelensky intends in this way to repeat what happened in January with the advanced battle tanks. After long weeks of political tug-of-war that divided the Western Allies, Germany gave the green light to send German-made Leopard 2 armored vehicles to Ukraine. That move caused a contagion effect that led the United States to deploy its sophisticated M1 Abrams.
Biden’s skepticism
The problem is that now the main opponent of this “hunting coalition” It is precisely who has promoted the past deliveries of increasingly modern weapons: the government of Joe Bidenwhich has the last word on the F-16s, whether they are their own or they are in other countries, because they are American-made.
“You don’t need them for now”said the president in February during an interview with the chain abc and he remains apparently convinced that what Ukraine needs for its counter-offensive are other weapons, such as “artillery, tanks and air defense systems” and not these expensive planes that are the mainstay of many military arsenals around the world.
US President Biden arrives in Japan for the G7 summit.
He fear of an escalation of Russia, which possesses nuclear weapons and has repeatedly threatened to use them, is the main argument that arises with each delivery of new weapons to Ukraine. And the truth is that, although the Biden administration has crossed several red lines When it comes to military aid – from the delivery of HIMARS guided rockets to drones and M1 Abrams tanks – the truth is that it is maintaining its position when it comes to fighter jets.
What the White House has never ruled out is approve a transfer of these aircraft from other countries, to which Zelenski could cling during his virtual meeting with the leaders of the G7. If his goal is not achieved, the Ukrainian president could take advantage of the NATO summit in July to insist on the creation of this “fighter coalition” that will allow him to obtain the weapons that have been demanding for so long. Although by then the long-awaited counteroffensive could have already started.
