Germany says not the right fit for Ukraine jet alliance

Germany has neither the training capacity nor the right military equipment to actively contribute to a British-backed initiative to help Ukraine source fighter jets, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday.

"We cannot play an active role in such an alliance, in such a coalition, because we have neither the training capacities, the competencies or the planes," Pistorius said in Berlin after a meeting with his British counterpart Ben Wallace.

During a summit of European leaders in Reykjavik this week, Britain said it was working with the Netherlands to forge an international coalition to help Ukraine obtain F-16 jets from its allies, though Britain, Germany and the U.S. have so far balked at supplying their own planes.

"It's up to the White House to decide if it wants to release that technology," Wallace said, but added that Britain would support in whatever ways it could any nation wishing to supply Ukraine.

"What's really important here is to signal to Russia that we as nations have no philosophical principle objection to supplying Ukraine capabilities that it needs depending on what is going on, on the battlefield," he added.

Pistorius said Germany would continue to support Ukraine by focusing on its areas of expertise, which were tanks and air defence. This involved sending more ammunition and maintaining vehicles already delivered, he added.