French General Jerome Pellistrandi expressed concern about the pace and quantity of the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, noting that it will not significantly change the balance of power in the conflict with Russia.
The West promised Ukraine about 80 F-16 aircraft - but many forget that the deliveries will be stretched over several years, and to date Kyiv has received only 10 fighters. "You have to be realistic. Given the number of promised aircraft and the terms of their deliveries, these actions will not change the balance of power, which will remain in favor of Russia," said French General Jerome Pellistrandi in an interview with La Dépêche.
So, according to him, when Belgium finishes supplying Kyiv with its part of fighter jets - which, according to the contract, will be in 2028 - "it may already be too late." Weapons and equipment are needed by the Ukrainians right now, not when the USA and Europe will completely replace their F-16s with F-35s and be able to give their old planes to Ukraine.
Answering a question about whether the combination of F-16 and the promised French Mirage-2000 will be a turning point for Ukraine, the general said that "it is still too early to talk about this." It will take too much time to supply and train pilots, which Ukrainian soldiers probably don't have that much, Pellistrandi notes.
