RFK Jr. Blasts Biden's Approving F-16s For Ukraine "A Disaster For Humanity" 

 

BY TYLER DURDEN

MONDAY, AUG 21, 2023

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/rfk-jr-blasts-bidens-approving-f-16s-ukraine-disaster-humanity

Democrat presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has blasted President Biden for issuing formal approval for European nations to export US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, calling it a "disaster" in the making for Ukraine and the world.

RFK Jr. said somewhat sarcastically on X (formerly Twitter) that it's a "great decision for the defense industry, but a disaster for Ukraine and humanity." He emphasized that "F-16s won’t stop the collapse of the Ukrainian military (which some experts say is imminent). These planes require a lot of training and maintenance. This isn’t the movies."

He has elsewhere called on the Biden administration to admit the "failure" of its Ukraine policy and to instead focus on the domestic crises impacting the nation. This comes also as the Maui death toll could continue to soar as emergency crews are still digging through rubble left in the wake of the devastating fires.

As for the F-16s, they are unlikely to go operational in Ukraine until next year, possibly as late as next summer, given Ukrainian pilots must complete a lengthy training program. Both Denmark and the Netherlands have said they will supply the initial round of a half-dozen jets, due to be delivered around New Year.

Russia responded Monday to Biden's formal approval late last week for F-16s to Kiev, which includes the start of a pilot training program based in Denmark. Moscow is warning this will only escalate the war. 

"The fact that Denmark has now decided to donate 19 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict," Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin said in a statement, as quoted in Reuters.

"By hiding behind a premise that Ukraine itself must determine the conditions for peace, Denmark seeks with its actions and words to leave Ukraine with no other choice but to continue the military confrontation with Russia," he stressed.

Denmark has meanwhile sought to assure its allies as well as Russia that the jets are not being transferred with an aim toward attacking Russian territory. "We donate weapons under the condition that they are used to drive the enemy out of the territory of Ukraine. And no further than that," Danish Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said on Monday. "Those are the conditions, whether it's tanks, fighter planes or something else."

President Zelensky is at the same boasting that he is "confident" F-16s from the West will lead to Russia losing the war. "Today we are confident that Russia will lose this war," Zelensky said while visiting Denmark over the weekend. 

Denmark is expected to deliver 19 jets in total while the Netherlands has over 40 F-16s available, but it's not yet confirmed how many the country plans to send.