Head of State Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that he had “opened the door to training” Ukrainian fighter pilots “from now on”.
The day after a dinner with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron announced, Monday, May 15, to have “opened the door to train pilots” Ukrainian fighters. For its part, Russia claims to have taken off one of its warplanes to meet two military planes, French and German, above the Baltic Sea. Franceinfo takes stock of what to remember from the day on the war front.
Towards the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots by France
Head of State Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that he had “opened the door to train pilots” ukrainian fighter “right now”, the day after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris. “And this, with several other European countries which are ready for it. I believe that discussions are underway with the Americans”, said the president during an interview with TF1considering on the other hand that to evoke a possible future delivery of fighter planes to kyiv “would be a theoretical debate”. “We need to start training today, this is the agreement that several European countries have reached”, he added, without further details on this training process.“There is no taboo”he assured.
Paris had so far pushed back the question of a possible future delivery of combat aircraft, explaining in particular that it would take long months to train pilots.
Russia claims to have intercepted two NATO planes, including a French one
Russia said it took off one of its warplanes to meet two military planes, French and German, over the Baltic Sea. The Kremlin accuses them of having wanted “violating the border” Russian. “After the foreign military aircraft turned back (…), the Russian fighter returned safely to the airfield”said the Russian Ministry of Defense on Telegram.
According to the ministry, the two devices in question are a P-3C Orion patrol boat from the German navy and an Atlantique 2 anti-submarine surveillance device from the French navy. The Russian border was not violated, he said.
Volodymyr Zelensky back in kyiv with “powerful new weapons”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returns to Kyiv after European tour full of promise “powerful new weapons” including British attack drones and missiles, Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a video message to his fellow citizens.
The head of state ended his three-day tour in the United Kingdom, where he also obtained anti-aircraft missiles and expressed optimism about future deliveries of fighter jets. Thereannouncement of this new military aid from the United Kingdom will cause “even more destruction”Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.