According to The Times, European Union countries are asking US President Donald Trump to deploy F-35 fighter jets to Romania as part of security guarantees the US could provide to end the war in Ukraine. The discussions took place in Washington between US generals and counterparts from Britain, Germany, France, Finland and Italy, as NATO expands the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base – which is expected to become the largest in Europe.
The EU is also seeking guarantees for the supply of Patriot and Nasams surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine, the use of US reconnaissance satellites, and the deployment of spy planes over the Black Sea. Britain has offered to deploy Typhoon jets and up to 5,000 troops to train the Ukrainian army, while France, Canada and Australia are also expected to send military personnel.
On the other hand, Russia warns that it opposes any deployment of Western troops and seeks to have veto power over military support for Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov declared that the current NATO negotiations are a “dead end”, adding that the Kremlin is open to new talks, but only if they are prepared with the utmost care.
