Biden Clears Way for Ukraine to Get F-16 Fighter Jets
May 19th, 2023Via: The Messenger:
The U.S. will support an international effort to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, a senior administration official confirmed to The Messenger, a shift in policy that will clear the way for F-16s and other aircraft to be sent to Ukraine. President Joe Biden announced the change to other world leaders at Friday’s G-7 summit in Japan, Politico reported.
The official told The Messenger that Biden’s announcement does not mean the U.S. will send its own F-16s to Ukraine. But several European countries have F-16s in their arsenals, and the shift in policy effectively creates a roadmap for the delivery of F-16s and other fighter jets from those European nations to Ukraine. The decision also comes several days after leaders of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands announced plans to set up an international coalition to help Ukraine obtain the jets.
The training will reportedly take place at a European site outside Ukraine and begin within weeks.
