US approves sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands

The United States has approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend against Russian invaders once pilot training is completed, a US official said. The edition told in more detail Reuters.

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Ukraine has urged US-made F-16 fighter jets to counter Russian air superiority.

Washington has given Denmark and the Netherlands formal assurances that the United States will expedite approval of requests to transfer F-16s to Ukraine when the pilots are trained.

“We welcome Washington's decision to pave the way for sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine,” Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “Now we will further discuss this topic with our European partners.”

On the subject: The United States will train Ukrainian pilots to fly NATO F-16s: how this can affect the course of the war

Denmark stated that the issue of providing aircraft to Ukraine will now be discussed.

“The government has stated several times that donation is a natural next step after learning. We are discussing this with close allies and I expect that we will soon be able to talk more specifically about this,” said Danish Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen.

A coalition of 11 countries will begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets later this month in Denmark.

Acting Defense Minister Troels Poulsen said in July that the country hoped to see the "results" of the exercise in early 2024.

NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands are leading an international effort to train pilots as well as support personnel and aircraft maintenance, which will eventually allow Ukraine to get F-16s to use in the war with Russia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in May that the Netherlands is seriously considering providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as it is now phasing out the fighter jets from its armed forces.

The Netherlands currently has 24 operational F-16s, according to the Dutch Ministry of Defense, which will be retired by mid-2024. Another 18 aircraft are currently available for sale, 12 of which are pre-sold.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sent letters to his counterparts in Denmark and the Netherlands and assured them that the requests would be approved, the US official said.

“I write to express the full support of the United States for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors,” Blinken said in a letter to two officials, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

Blinken remarked: "It is very important that Ukraine can defend itself against the ongoing Russian aggression and violation of its sovereignty."

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He said the approval of the requests would allow Ukraine "to take full advantage of its new capabilities once the first group of pilots complete their training."

US President Joe Biden in May approved training programs for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16. In addition to training in Denmark, a training center was planned to be established in Romania.

Kyiv will not be able to use American F-16 fighters in the coming autumn and winter, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said.

U.S. officials have privately said the F-16s will do little to help Ukraine in its current counteroffensive and will not be a game changer when they eventually arrive, given Russian air defense systems and the situation in the skies over Ukraine.

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