JAKARTA - The United States announced it was closing the door to supplying warplanes to Ukraine, saying the intelligence community assessed it would be a "high-risk" move that could increase the likelihood of Russia's escalation with NATO, on Wednesday.
NATO ally, Poland, surprised Washington on Tuesday with a public offer to transfer Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to US bases in Germany as a way to replenish Ukraine's air force. Previously, Kyiv had pleaded with the West for fighter planes.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby explained the US decision, saying the transfer of MiG-29s would change little for Ukraine compared to Russia's capabilities, and stressed US support for supplying other types of weapons.
"The intelligence community has assessed that the transfer of MiG-29s to Ukraine may be mistaken for an escalation and could result in a significant Russian reaction, which could increase the prospect of a military escalation with NATO," Kirby said.
"Therefore, we also consider that the transfer of MiG-29s to Ukraine is high risk," he continued.
However, Kirby declined to provide details on what specifically prompted the US intelligence assessment.
The United States has been trying to speed up arms deliveries to Ukraine. But it shuddered on Tuesday at the prospect of warplanes flying from NATO territory into a war zone.
Earlier, Russia's Defense Ministry warned this week that countries offering airfields to Ukraine, let alone flying fighter jets, for attacks against Russia could be considered to have entered the conflict.
NATO has said it does not want direct conflict with Russia, a fellow nuclear-armed power. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending troops to Ukraine to fight, something the Pentagon says will apply to troops on the ground or in the air (flight missions).
While the Pentagon denies the decision over Poland's bid is a new red line, it does suggest supplying Ukraine with warplanes is another military option that has been removed from the table, at least for now.
The United States has also shrugged off calls from Kyiv for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something military experts say would be equivalent to the United States entering a war against Russia.
The Pentagon detailed the US position after a phone call between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Polish counterpart, in which Austin thanked Poland for its support.
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Secretary Austin will travel to Brussels next week for talks with his NATO counterparts, the Pentagon said, where helping Ukraine will almost certainly dominate discussions.
The Ukrainian Air Force currently has a squadron of mission-capable aircraft, and the additional MiGs would provide a slight advantage, overall, Kirby said.
"We believe the best way to support the defense of Ukraine is to provide them with the weapons and systems they need most to defeat Russian aggression, particularly anti-armor and air defense."
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