European leaders took a first step towards providing F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine at Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik on Tuesday. At the legal level, they also took a first step to make Russia accountable for its crimes in Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday pledged to build an “international coalition” to provide fighter jet support for Ukraine.
After visiting Sunak at his Chequers country estate outside London on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “very positive” about creating a “jets coalition” in his country’s war with Russia.
Western nations have balked so far at providing advanced jets to help Ukraine take command of the skies against Russia.
Sunak said on Monday however the UK was preparing to open a flight school to train its pilots.
French President Emmanuel Macron at the same time offered to train Ukrainian fighter pilots but ruled out sending war planes to Kyiv.
Reacting to the pledge in his nightly address, Zelensky called it “a good start to the coalition”, adding: “Thank you all.”
Sunak’s spokesman said the prime minister had also “reiterated his belief that Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO and the leaders agreed on the importance of allies providing long-term security assistance to Ukraine to guarantee they can deter against future attacks”.
Leaders from the 46-nation Council of Europe also emphasised that Moscow would be held accountable for the harm and destruction it has caused in its 15-month invasion of its neighbour.
The register of damages, to be lodged in The Hague, aims to record the tangible costs Russia has exacted on Ukraine in that time.
“There will be no reliable peace without justice” and the register lays the ground for “a full-fledged compensation mechanism,” Zelensky said in a video address at the start of the two-day summit.
Malo Pinatel, with AFP
