Joe Biden blocks Ben Wallace from starring in NATO after F-16 scandal

Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace has lost US support for a major role in NATO. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Joe Biden prevented Ben Wallace from becoming the next NATO Secretary General after the UK moved ahead with training Ukrainian F-16 pilots without a green light from Washington.

The Defense Secretary was the leader to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, the current head of the alliance, later this year, but failed to garner Washington's support amid tensions over Britain's military support for Ukraine.

Rishi Sunak is said to be » strongly lobbied» Wallace to become the next head of NATO. high-ranking official at a meeting with the President of the United States in Washington.

Mr. Biden later told a press conference that there was a «very qualified person» in the UK for the job, but did not offer his support.

Mr. Wallace has led campaigns to equip Kyiv with modern wrestling. tanks and long-range cruise missiles.

However, Washington was alarmed when Britain announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots and form an international effort to arm them with American F-16 aircraft without its support.

A source within the alliance said the move «ended any remaining hope» of the defense secretary of defeating Biden.

Mr Sunak, after meeting with Mark Rutte, promised to create an «international coalition» to help procure F-16 aircraft for Ukraine, his Dutch counterpart, in May.

Downing Street announced London and The Hague » will work to build an international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat aircraft, providing support in everything from training to the purchase of F-16 aircraft.”

A number of European countries have already joined this scheme, but did not dare to make it public until they secured the full support of Washington.

This is not the first time the UK has deliberately announced large-scale deals for Ukraine. hoping to get Mr. Biden to follow suit.

The United States controls the export license for the F-16, and the White House's reluctance to send fighter jets to Kiev has created a problem for other countries operating these aircraft.

The UK cannot supply F-16s to Kiev, because she doesn't have them, but Mr. Wallace has made it clear that he will support countries willing to do so.

After months of debate in May, Mr. Wallace said that any plan involving the plane was up to Washington, adding to the pressure on Biden. A few days later, the US President relented and agreed to allow allies to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 and its weapon system.

F-16 Fighter

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the White House erred in regards to caution in supplying Kiev to amid fears that Western support could provoke an escalation from Moscow.

U.S. officials also expressed concern that the transfer of weapons systems to Ukraine could lead to secret technologies falling into Russian hands.

p>On Tuesday, The Telegraph reported that Mr. Biden is lining up Ursula von der Leyen, a senior EU official, to replace Mr. Stoltenberg.

The report was published after Mr. Stoltenberg's mandate was extended until October 2024, that is, until the end of the term of the former German defense minister as head of the European Commission.