The United States agrees that Denmark and the Netherlands will provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine | Ukraine | United States
US officials revealed on the 17th that the US government has approved Denmark and the Netherlands to provide Ukraine with US made F-16 fighter jets. However, the Ukrainian side is not optimistic about using F-16 fighter jets within the year.
Reuters reported from an informed US government official that the US government has agreed for Denmark and the Netherlands to provide Ukraine with these fighter jets after completing training for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
The official said that the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had sent a letter to the Foreign Ministers of Denmark and the Netherlands, confirming that the US side would approve the request of the two countries to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter planes, saying that the US side "fully supports" the provision of F-16 fighter planes and driving training to Ukraine, so that Ukraine has the ability to "resist Russia's continuous attack".
The Ukrainian government has been calling on Western countries to provide F-16 fighter jets since the beginning of this year.
US President Joseph Biden stated in May that he supports allies in providing F-16 fighter jets and pilot training to Ukraine. The training center will be located in Denmark and Romania. According to Reuters, 11 countries preparing to provide fighter jets to Ukraine are starting F-16 fighter pilot training in Denmark this month, which is expected to last for six months.
Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ignati admitted in an interview with Ukrainian media on the 16th that "we will not be able to protect Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets in the fall and winter of this year." However, some US officials privately stated that F-16 fighter jets are not very helpful to Ukraine, and even if they eventually arrive on the battlefield, they "will not become a change in the situation.".
Since Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine in February last year, Western countries such as the United States have been continuously providing military aid to Ukraine, and now they are making frequent moves in the area of F-16 fighter jets. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the presence of F-16 fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons in Ukraine will be seen by Russia as a nuclear threat from the West.