SILENCED SUPPORT ⟩ Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Says Her F-16 Donation Proposal Was Blocked Two Years Ago

Photo: MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/AFP

1st September 2024, 15:05

At the recent GLOBSEC 2024 Forum in Prague, political leaders from the Baltic Sea states unleashed a barrage of criticism against the U.S. government's handling of its Ukraine war strategy. The most revealing statement came from the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

The forum organized by non-governmental think tank GLOBSEC, typically a platform for European and American unity, instead became a stage for some of Europe’s prominent leaders to voice their dissatisfaction with Washington’s perceived half-measures in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing aggression.

Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s Minister of Defense, minced no words in his critique during a panel discussion on August 31. “I’m sorry, but we’re not giving Ukraine everything that they need. And the limitations…they are stupid. This is something I don’t understand. This puts Ukrainians to fight with one hand behind their back,” he declared.

Pevkur’s frustration echoed throughout the Baltic region, where the specter of Russian expansionism looms large, and where support for Ukraine is seen as both a moral and strategic imperative.

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of U.S. policy on Ukraine following Kaja Kallas's departure from the Estonian government to assume the role of the EU's Chief Diplomat. Photo: Drew Angerer

Adding to the chorus of criticism, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis spoke of the broader implications of the U.S.’s cautious strategy. “We still haven't defined our vision for the world after this war, and we are still afraid of the word ‘victory’. But history shows there can never be sustainable peace with an undefeated Russia,” Landsbergis warned.

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds, speaking on the outskirts of the conference to the Kyiv Independent, remarked that the West's inclination to succumb to the "trap of Russian blackmail" and hesitate over what actions can or cannot be taken to support Ukraine's defense "essentially advances the Russian agenda."

The comments from Baltic ministers reflect a profound concern within the Baltic states that without a decisive defeat of Russia, the region may continue to face destabilization efforts.

The most striking commentary came, however, from Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who did not hide her discontent over the delays in delivering Western military aid, particularly the F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine has long sought.

“I am sorry that the deliveries of F-16s took so long. Personally, I was ready to hand them over to Ukraine from the very beginning of the war. However, there was a long debate about the correctness of this decision,” Frederiksen revealed.

"If we allow Russia to take 20% of Ukraine, [do you believe] Russia will say thank you? My guess is that they will say thank you and move on in Ukraine or other countries, including NATO countries. There is no alternative to Ukraine winning this war,” Frederiksen said. She also added, that “as Europeans, no matter what happens in the US, we should be able to do more on our own” and that “A Europe that is not willing to defend itself is not a Europe.”

This aligns with Estonia's Hanno Pevkur, who framed the issue as one of strategic clarity. 'The question for us is straightforward: Do we want Ukraine to fight, or do we want Ukraine to win? We want Ukraine to win, not just to fight,' Pevkur stated.

These sentiments capture a growing divide between the U.S. and some of its European allies, who feel that Washington’s reluctance to escalate its involvement is prolonging the war and risking Ukrainian lives.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen revealed that she was prepared to donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine two years ago but was pressured not to proceed. Photo: Reuters

The frustration expressed by Baltic and Danish leaders is amplified by recent revelations from The Wall Street Journal, which reported that the Biden administration had rejected a proposal to send American contractors to Ukraine to maintain Western military equipment, including the crucial F-16s.

According to the report, the U.S. National Security Council had considered the deployment of specialists but ultimately declined, deeming it too risky. Intelligence officials reportedly expressed concern that Russia might target American contractors in Ukraine, leading the U.S. to push the responsibility for maintaining these jets onto European nations.

Previously, critics in the U.S., such as retired general and former commanding officer of the U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodges have criticized the U.S. procrastination with training Ukrainian pilots for the F16-s. "It is absurd how long it is taking us to get Ukrainian pilots trained in the F-16s. That is embarrassing to me, how long it has taken," Hodges lamented in a recent interview to The Baltic Sentinel.

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GLOBSEC