Christopher Cavoli, the commander of NATO forces in Europe, tells US lawmakers that providing Ukraine with advanced Western equipment such as F-16 fighter jets, drones and long-range missiles could help Kiev gain control of the skies and strengthen its own offensive against Russia. according to Politico.

During a closed-door briefing Friday morning with more than 10 senators and members of the House of Representatives, Gen. Christopher Cavoli was asked whether F-16 fighter jets would help Ukraine win a war against Russia. He replied, “Yes,” according to five people in the room who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The F-16 issue was part of a broader debate about the conduct of the war and what Kyiv needs to succeed in its plans to go on the offensive. Cavoli said Ukraine needed longer-range missiles to allow its forces to strike Russian positions further out, endangering headquarters and supply lines behind them, which would help disrupt the Russian military machine from inside Ukraine.

The general’s response goes further than previous public comments by senior national security officials, who have said they would not rule out sending fighter jets in the future, but also noted that air defense is the most pressing need today.

At the Munich Security Conference, Cavoli told lawmakers that the U.S. and its allies should send Ukraine the most advanced weapons they can provide. These include advanced aircraft, drones and missiles with a range of over 100 kilometers, such as the ATACMS. These weapons would do a better job of putting Kyiv in an advantageous position to repel Moscow’s forces, Kavoli said.

The general, who is both NATO’s supreme commander in Europe and head of the US European Command, argued that Ukraine needed more advanced weapons and equipment to “enhance deep warfare.” A second person said Kavoli believed the West should arm Ukraine to reach Russia’s more distant positions inside Ukraine’s border.

The remarks came amid heightened transatlantic debate over the supply of modern jet aircraft.

Ukrainians lobby American lawmakers, American lawmakers lobby Biden

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as the war started by Russia enters its second year.

The members’ efforts likely won’t change anything or affect the administration’s decision about what to send to Ukraine, but it comes just before the anniversary of the start of the war and President Joe Biden’s trip to Poland, CNN notes.

The letter was signed by Jared Golden, Democrat of Maine; Tony Gonzalez, Republican of Texas; Jason Crowe, Democrat from Colorado; Chrissy Hoolahan, Democrat of Pennsylvania; and Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin.

On Sunday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also asked the Biden administration to start training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets “today” in order to provide Ukraine with these planes as soon as possible, writes CNN.

The South Carolina senator said in an interview with ABC on Sunday that U.S. lawmakers attending the Munich Security Conference are “almost unanimously convinced” that the U.S. should provide F-16 training and that he believes the president’s decision Joe Biden on the issue is “inevitable.” “

Ukrainian officials also urged members of the US Congress to pressure President Joe Biden’s administration to send F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, saying the aircraft would boost Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian missile sites, lawmakers said, according to Reuters.

The lobbying took place over the weekend on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference amid talks between Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Graham said he was concerned by a U.S. intelligence assessment that China was considering providing lethal weapons to Russia for its military operations.

He said that “this will change everything forever.”

“If you jump on the Putin train now, you are dumber than the earth. It’s like buying a ticket to the Titanic after watching the movie. Don’t do that, Graham said. “The most catastrophic thing that could happen to US-China relations, in my opinion, is China giving Putin lethal weapons.”

On January 30, Joe Biden said he would not send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as part of its war against Russia, in a very categorical response.