US supports training Ukrainian pilots to use F16 fighters

American F-16 fighter.

A senior White House official confirmed on May 19 that President Joe Biden informed leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations that Washington supports a plan to train Ukrainian pilots to use advanced fighter jets, including F-16 fighters.

According to White House officials, at the G7 leaders' discussion within the framework of the ongoing Summit in Hiroshima (Japan), President Biden affirmed that the US "will support joint efforts with allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots to use 4th generation fighters, including the F-16, to continue to strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force."

“As the training progresses in the coming months, our coalition of nations participating in this effort will determine the timing of aircraft delivery, the number of deliveries, and who will provide them,” the White House official said, without naming which countries would be involved in the effort.

The training program is expected to take place in Europe and take several months to complete. US officials estimate the shortest time needed to train and transfer the F-16 is 18 months.

Earlier in the week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte pledged to form an “international coalition” to support the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine.

On May 15, Mr Sunak announced that the UK was preparing to open a flight school to train Ukrainian pilots. In addition, French President Emmanuel Macron made a similar offer, but ruled out the possibility of providing fighter jets to Ukraine.

This is the first time G7 leaders have heard the US President's support for the plan to train Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets.

Previously, on January 31, Mr. Biden announced that he would not approve the proposal to support Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.

Russian officials have repeatedly stated that the continued supply of weapons to Ukraine by the US and the West will prolong the conflict, and that these weapons will become “legitimate military targets” for Moscow./.

According to VNA

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