Sean Penn calls on billionaires to buy fighter jets for Ukraine
Actor Sean Penn has issued an appeal to billionaires to step forward to purchase fighter jets for Ukraine.
He said on Twitter Thursday that $300 million could purchase “12 aircraft with better tech than Russian MiGs or SU’s” — Sukhoi aircraft.
“One billionaire could end this war in Ukraine,” Penn added in a second tweet. “Of course there are add-ons in arming & maintaining creative runways, etc., but seems worth a think.”
By open source, 2 squadrons of F-15’s or 16’s (that’s 12 aircraft with better tech than Russian Migs or SU’s) quickly trainable (3 weeks) to Ukrainian aviators would cost private sector buyers approx $300M. Add another $200M in missile defense for a total of $500M. (1/2)
— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) March 31, 2022
One billionaire could end this war in Ukraine. Of course there are add-ons in arming & maintaining creative runways, etc., but seems worth a think. (2/2)
— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) March 31, 2022
He made the plea less than an hour after Ukraine’s Air Force said on Twitter that it needed U.S. F-15s or F-16s to “defend our sky and achieve victory.” It noted: “We have not received the tools we need .”
We have not received the tools we need to defend our sky and achieve victory.
In the sky, the greatest need is for fighter jets - F-15s and F-16s of the fourth generation or higher would be sufficient; 🇺🇦 pilots can learn to fly these with just 2-3 weeks of training. (12/16)— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) March 31, 2022
Penn fled Ukraine with his crew to Poland in late February. He was there filming a documentary about the Russian invasion.
Myself & two colleagues walked miles to the Polish border after abandoning our car on the side of the road. Almost all the cars in this photo carry women & children only, most without any sign of luggage, and a car their only possession of value. pic.twitter.com/XSwCDgYVSH
— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) February 28, 2022
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Penn the day of the invasion. He posted a silent video of himself with the actor that day on social media.
Американский актер Шон Пенн в Киеве
Президент Украины опубликовал видео без звука в Instagram со встречи с американским актером: «Чем больше людей знает про войну на Украине, тем больше шансов остановить Россию», - написано на видео. pic.twitter.com/95fajTTgxd— Аслан (@antiputler_news) February 24, 2022
Penn has established a center in Poland to help Ukrainian refugees through his Community Organized Relief Effort organization.
Last week, Penn threatened to melt down his Oscars (for Best Actor in “Mystic river” and “Milk”) in public if Zelenskyy was not allowed to speak at last month’s Academy Awards ceremony. The Ukrainian president was not given a platform to address the event. The awards ceremony went silent for 30 seconds in a show of solidarity for the nation.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
