French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Paris is open to training Ukrainian fighter jet pilots in France, and that the relevant training programs could start right away.
He likewise told a French broadcaster that he had not discussed supplying warplanes with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to France this past weekend.
"In particular, this pertains to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Here Paris shows solidarity with London and Berlin, who stick to the goal of defeating Moscow in the conflict, where Kiev plays the role of a proxy and vanguard of the West," he said.
When asked whether the French president is really ready to provide Ukraine with the fighter jets and approve the creation of a so-called "flying coalition," Dandykin suggested that this was another attempt by Paris to have its cake and eat it too, with something that aims “to pacify” Zelensky.
In this vein, the Russian expert pointed to the fact that even if Macron gives the green light for the French-made warplanes to be supplied to Kiev, the Ukrainian pilots training process may take at least two years.
“The question is whether the Zelensky regime will need those fighter jets or not by that time,” Dandykin noted, adding that all this will depend on Russia’s actions.
Touching upon any possible political repercussions from delivering French warplanes to Ukraine, he said it would mean that France is “utterly and completely entering into confrontation with Russia.”
“It is very serious. I think that if this happens, it will be a review of all Russian-French relations, which specifically saw Macron claiming the role of a peacemaker [in the Ukraine conflict],” Dandykin concluded.