Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov attends the assembly of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Jan. 20.

Michael Probst/AP

conceal caption

toggle caption

Michael Probst/AP

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov attends the assembly of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Jan. 20.

Michael Probst/AP

KYIV — Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov says he is optimistic Western allies will finally provide his nation with superior fighter jets, together with U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, and provides that Ukrainian forces are poised to begin coaching on newly dedicated superior battle tanks “as soon as possible.”

“What is impossible today is absolutely possible tomorrow,” he tells NPR.

Speaking with NPR on Saturday, Reznikov mentioned he hopes Ukrainian troops will begin coaching on Leopard 2 and Abrams tanks, which Germany and the U.S. promised final week to donate to Ukraine. The U.Ok. is already coaching Ukrainians on its Challenger tanks, and is sending Ukraine 14 of them.

“My understanding is that there are training courses we can do in Europe,” Reznikov says. “It’s more convenient because we have to use a similar landscape and we have to have similar weather conditions.”

He tells NPR he is hoping for fast-track coaching, which he says is what’s deliberate for the Patriot air protection missiles the U.S. promised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in December. The U.S. started coaching Ukrainians on them at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, this month.

“Normal training courses for Patriot consist [of] 10 months,” he says, however Ukrainian troops will practice with army within the U.S. for “probably 10 weeks.”

“For the Leopard tanks, for example, [training] normally could be half a year. But I hope that we will do it during one month or probably two months,” he says provides.

Reznikov says Ukraine additionally wants time to arrange provide chains for gas and spare elements and in addition practice mechanics to take care of and restore the brand new tanks. But he provides that these new tanks shall be a “game changer” as Ukraine tries to reclaim occupied territory, simply as HIMARs (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) helped Ukrainian forces reclaim the southern metropolis of Kherson in November.

Ukraine desires fighter jets

Reznikov can also be pushing for fighter jets, particularly F-16s, which have been on Ukraine’s checklist because the starting of the Russian invasion.

“I’m sure that’s absolutely realistic,” he says in regards to the F-16s, noting that previously, Ukraine has additionally secured different weapons that in the first place appeared out of attain, together with HIMARS and Patriot air protection missiles.

President Biden seemed to suggest on Monday that the U.S. wouldn’t donate F-16s to Ukraine, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz informed the Tagesspiegel newspaper printed Sunday that “the question of combat aircraft does not arise at all.”

Reznikov says prior to now, most Western allies have turned down weapons requests for sensible causes, comparable to problem to find spare elements. He says when he asks allies in regards to the F-16, they cite “a very long training period for [Ukrainian] pilots.” He says he can provide a robust counter-argument by proving that Ukrainian troops can perform shorter, very intensive coaching on different weapons.

Russia, in the meantime, has accused the West of taking a more direct role within the battle by sending extra refined weapons to Ukraine. That’s prompted rigidity inside NATO and the European Union. Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic told reporters that supplying arms to Kyiv will solely extend the battle and that it is “mad” to anticipate Russia’s defeat. And Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban mentioned Ukraine’s Western backers had “drifted into war.”

Corruption stays a priority

Reznikov says he is aware of Western allies are scrutinizing Ukraine’s authorities intently. Ukrainian journalists just lately reported that Reznikov’s personal ministry was typically buying meals and different provides for troops at inflated costs.

Before the Russian invasion, most protection ministry bills have been public. Now most are labeled for safety causes. He says transparency is a fragile situation throughout wartime, however he’s working with parliament to alter legal guidelines and make protection expenditures at the least “semi-transparent.”

“It’s not a piece of cake, but I will do it,” he says. “Because my principle is zero tolerance with corruption. We have to be a new Ukraine, with the European standard, not the old-fashioned Soviet Ukraine with a legacy of corruption.”