By Laura Kuenssberg
Presenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
One of Ukraine's closest allies has formed uncertainty connected whether it would beryllium capable to proviso President Volodymyr Zelenksy with the combatant jets helium says are needed to triumph the warfare with Russia.
Poland's President, Andrzej Duda - speaking exclusively to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg - said sending F-16 craft would beryllium a "very superior decision" that was "not casual to take".
Poland has been 1 of Ukraine's astir vocal supporters since Russia invaded.
Last period it was one of respective countries to pledge to nonstop much tanks, ammunition and instrumentality to the beforehand line.
President Duda's comments travel contempt him and President Zelensky having spoken this week - astatine the extremity of the Ukrainian leader's astonishment headline-grabbing European tour.
In London, President Zelensky's archetypal stop, helium met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and utilized his code to MPs successful Parliament to telephone for the means to assistance combat Russia successful the air.
"I entreaty to you and the satellite with the simple, and yet astir important words - combat craft for Ukraine, wings for freedom."
Ukraine's person repeated that telephone successful Paris and past successful Brussels - successful a precise uncommon departure from his country, nether the tightest of security, that made headlines close circular the world.
Speaking successful Warsaw, President Duda told maine that sending F-16 jets would airs a "serious problem" because, with less than 50 of the craft successful the Polish aerial force, "we person not enough… and we would request galore much of them."
He besides stressed that combat aircraft, similar the F-16s, request "very superior request for maintenance" truthful it's "not capable conscionable to nonstop a fewer planes".
With Poland being a Nato member, said Mr Duda, immoderate determination to supply combatant jets to Ukraine had to beryllium a "joint decision" - alternatively than 1 for immoderate azygous state to instrumentality - arsenic Western countries proceed to effort to coordinate their strategy to enactment Ukraine.
There are besides nerves astir whether providing planes would propulsion Nato straight into the Ukraine-Russia struggle - and adjacent into warfare against Russia itself.
At the commencement of the Russian penetration successful 2022, Duda said sending jets would "open a subject interference successful the Ukrainian conflict". But - successful nonstop effect to Ukraine's petition for planes this week - the Polish leader's comments are significant.
As Ukraine's neighbour, President Duda has been 1 of the astir ardent supporters of President Zelensky and has contributed immense amounts of subject aid, becoming the main supplier of dense weaponry - including infantry warring vehicles and artillery, drones and ammunition.
Duda was besides astatine the forefront of pushing different allies to committedness to supply tanks successful caller weeks.
After notable reluctance from Germany - and a fraught statement crossed Europe astir the risks of escalating the struggle - Leopard tanks volition get successful Ukraine, on with Challengers from the UK and Abrams from the US.
Poland has besides provided homes to millions of refugees who fled crossed the borderline astatine the commencement of the conflict.
President Duda is adamant that "weaponry has to beryllium delivered to Ukraine each the time… it needs armaments." But it is wide helium doesn't deliberation that sending combat craft successful ample numbers is apt from Poland oregon immoderate different state - astatine slightest successful the abbreviated term.
The UK besides made it wide beauteous rapidly that sending planes to Ukraine was not realistic successful the contiguous future.
Yes, PM Rishi Sunak said "nothing was disconnected the table" portion helium savoured his photograph accidental with President Zelensky successful beforehand of a vessel this week - jeans tucked into unlaced boots, tieless, alongside the Ukrainian person successful his acquainted service sweatshirt and combat trousers.
But earlier excessively long, the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was making plain that would mean grooming for pilots and different kinds of enactment first. No jets volition instrumentality disconnected from the UK immoderate clip soon bound for Ukraine - disappointing erstwhile PM Boris Johnson, who has been making Ukraine's case.
All week, British politicians person been falling implicit themselves to subordinate themselves with the biggest governmental personage successful the satellite close now, President Zelenksy - sharing their ain blurry telephone snaps of his historical code successful Westminster Hall and giving interviews astir however moving it was to beryllium determination to perceive him.
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron greeted him similar a movie prima successful beforehand of the Elysee Palace. EU leaders past frantically tweeted pictures of their ain "grip and grin" moments with the Ukrainian person later.
There is staunch enactment for President Zelensky without uncertainty - it's not conscionable shown successful flowery connection and promises of commitment. But, arsenic President Duda explains, with guns, bullets, tanks and drones, and enactment for refugees - not selfies with MPs. Western allies emphasise however countries person travel unneurotic to enactment Ukraine implicit this past twelvemonth successful a mode that volition person disappointed and frustrated Vladimir Putin.
Leaders, similar Poland's president, underline the menace they spot and consciousness to their ain countries. Talking to him astir the struggle successful Ukraine, successful an interrogation successful Warsaw, is simply a satellite distant from conversations successful Westminster, with the Russian borderline astatine Kaliningrad lone astir 200 miles away.
- As good arsenic Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, this week Laura volition besides talk to Foreign Office Minister, Andrew Mitchell, and shadiness levelling up secretary, Lisa Nandy
- Bake Off presenter Prue Leith is besides connected the show
- Follow unrecorded updates, with investigation and absorption present connected the BBC News website from 08:00
- Watch unrecorded connected BBC One and iPlayer from 09:00
The dilemma implicit jets is different illustration of the fraught calculations our leaders face. What is practically imaginable successful presumption of supporting Ukraine? And what is politically and diplomatically viable, without provoking a wider war?
Poland and different countries' steadfast backing does not mean that the West, oregon adjacent Ukraine's closest allies, volition oregon tin accidental "yes" to his each request. One elder Ukrainian [is this right?] diplomatic root suggests President Zelensky is, of course, good alert of this.
His headline-grabbing travel this week was not conscionable astir the jets, and it doesn't look similar it volition soon effect successful "wings for freedom". But - arsenic we attack the day of Russia's penetration - his European tour's cautious choreography, and almighty imagery volition person reminded not conscionable Western politicians but besides their publics, of what is astatine stake.