Hodges: Western jets to help Ukraine win within year

Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of the United States Army in Europe, believes that the West should provide Kyiv with fighter jets, which could lead to a victory for Kyiv within the year.

Source: Ben Hodges in an interview with DW

According to Hodges, Ukraine will win without Western fighters as well, but in this case, the military defeat of Russia may take three to five years, given the current level of Western support.

Quote: "The sooner we deliver them the capability to achieve a decisive outcome, the sooner that [the war] could be over," he said, arguing that Ukraine could expel Russian forces from its territory by the end of the year if given additional support.

Hodges said that concern about training and runway compatibility issues do not make it "unfeasible" to provide Kyiv with the "capability" to use the aircraft. He praised the UK for being "in the lead" in providing several forms of military support to Ukraine.

Hodges said he believed that the only "red line" for Washington's involvement in Ukraine is "boots on the ground".

He stressed that Kyiv must retake Crimea to preserve the "international rules-based order" and the "UN Charter". Hodges added that it is important for Ukrainian ports to maintain access to the Sea of Azov through Crimea.

When asked about the potential of the new Russian offensive, Hodges answered that Moscow does not have enough armoured forces and such an offensive is not going to change the "overall operational environment" in Ukraine.

Kyiv "has enough to limit the Russian success," he said, adding that this will still be "costly" in terms of casualties and ammunition.

Background: Earlier, the prime minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, said that any decision on the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine should come from NATO. And Emmanuel Macron, President of France, said that he prefers supplying weapons that are "more useful" and "faster" than military aircraft as part of France's military aid for Ukraine.

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