UK says mindful of ‘escalatory risks’ in arming Ukraine

The UK is aware of “potential escalatory risks” in equipping Ukraine with more Western weaponry, as it considers giving Kyiv fighter jets, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said on Thursday.

The comments come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits several European capitals, including London on Wednesday, to urge allies to supply combat aircraft to help his country fight invading Russian forces.

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Britain has said it will start training Ukrainian fighter pilots and consider the proposal in the “long-term,” although the United States and other NATO allies remain wary of getting more embroiled in the conflict.

“We take these decisions carefully and we do it thoughtfully,” Sunak’s spokesman told reporters about the broader policy of arming Kyiv, when asked about those concerns in some European capitals.

“We are aware of potential escalatory risks. But throughout we have been confident the approach we are taking is the best and quickest way to help Ukraine end this war, which is obviously in everyone’s interest.”

Sunak’s spokesman said London would keep discussing “provision of capabilities” with allies, noting “every action we take will obviously have an eye to potential risks of escalation.”

But he argued Russia was “escalating everything” in its ongoing attacks on Ukraine and occupation of swaths of its territory.

As the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion looms and Ukraine braces for a fresh Russian offensive in the east, Zelenskyy is pushing ever harder for friendly nations to send tanks, jets and missiles.

Britain has already prepared 10,000 troops for battle and is currently training Ukrainian personnel to operate Challenger 2 tanks, which will be deployed next month.

Meanwhile, Sunak confirmed during Zelenskyy’s historic visit that pilots from Ukraine were also now to be trained to operate NATO-standard combat aircraft.

“We think that is a reasonable step, given the ongoing atrocities that Russia continues to commit in Ukraine,” his spokesman added Thursday.

“We want to get it done as quickly as humanly possible,” he said of the training, while noting no final decision had been made on whether to provide Kyiv with any jets.

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