The head of the European Union’s foreign policy says that “the United States allowing Ukrainian pilots to train on F-16 planes will give them an invincible capability that will make the fighter jets part of the war in Ukraine.”
According to the American news agency AP, giving an example of the long debate and the initial opposition to giving Ukraine modern Leopard tanks, Joseph Borel says, “You know, this is what we have always discussed; in the beginning, everyone used to hesitate.’
And finally. Leopards with tanks, finally with F16s It has been decided to provide military support because it is needed.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that the decision to train Ukrainian pilots was necessary for the supply of warplanes to Ukraine.
Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting with EU defence ministers that “clearly announcing that Ukrainian pilots will begin training is an important step that will in part enable us to deliver fighter jets at some stage.” .’
He says it also proved that the West will not stand up to Russia and that such a decision “sends a very clear message that we are there for the long term and Russia cannot wait for us.”
“Training of Ukrainian pilots has already started in Poland and some other countries,” Joseph Borrell added.
Although the authorities in Warsaw could not immediately confirm this news, Other countries, including the Netherlands and Denmark, are also planning such training.
“No decision has been made yet on the delivery of fourth-generation fighter jets to Ukraine,” said Dutch Defence Minister Kaiza Alvingren.
“However, training the pilots now is a process that could take several months; once a formal decision is made, it will help speed up preparations for war.”
Ukraine has long requested the latest warplanes to give it a combat edge as it fights a Russian invasion, and the war is now in its second year.
Along with the decision, the Biden administration feared it could escalate tensions with Russia.
The Biden administration reversed the decision after more than a year of refusing to approve the transfer of planes or train pilots in Ukraine.
US officials had opposed the delivery of the F-16s on the grounds that flying, training, and transporting such advanced fighter jets would be difficult and would take months.