U.S. approves sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Netherlands says – National | 24CA News
The United States has accepted sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend towards Russian invaders as quickly as pilot coaching is accomplished, a U.S. official mentioned on Thursday.
Ukraine has actively sought the U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to assist it counter Russian air superiority.
Washington gave Denmark and the Netherlands official assurances that the United States will expedite approval of switch requests for F-16s to go to Ukraine when the pilots are educated, the official mentioned.
“We welcome Washington’s decision to pave the way for sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine,” Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra mentioned on messaging platform X, previously often known as Twitter.
“Now, we will further discuss the subject with our European partners.”
Denmark additionally mentioned offering Ukraine with the jets would now be mentioned.
“The government has said several times that a donation is a natural next step after training. We are discussing it with close allies, and I expect we will soon be able to be more concrete about that,” Danish protection minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen advised news company Ritzau on Friday.
A coalition of 11 international locations will begin coaching Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 fighter jets later this month in Denmark, the Danish protection ministry mentioned on Friday.
The nation’s appearing Defense Minister Troels Poulsen mentioned in July that the nation hoped to see “results” from the coaching in early 2024.
NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands have been main worldwide efforts to coach pilots in addition to help workers, preserve plane and finally allow Ukraine to acquire F-16s to be used in its warfare with Russia.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in May mentioned the Netherlands was significantly contemplating offering Ukraine with F-16s, as it’s at the moment phasing out the fighter jets from its personal armed forces.
According to figures from the Dutch protection ministry, the Netherlands at the moment has 24 operational F-16s which might be phased out by mid-2024. Another 18 of the jets are at the moment obtainable on the market, of which 12 have been provisionally offered.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken despatched letters to his Danish and Dutch counterparts assuring them that the requests can be accepted, the U.S. official mentioned.
“I am writing to express the United States’ full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors,” Blinken mentioned in a letter to the 2 officers, a duplicate of which was seen by Reuters.
Blinken mentioned, “It remains critical that Ukraine is able to defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression and violation of its sovereignty.”
He mentioned the approval of the requests would permit Ukraine to take “full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training.”
U.S. President Joe Biden endorsed coaching packages for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in May. In addition to coaching in Denmark, a coaching heart was to be arrange in Romania.
Kyiv won’t be able to function U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets this coming autumn and winter, Ukraine air drive spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat advised Ukrainian tv late on Wednesday.
U.S. officers have privately mentioned that F-16 jets would have been of little assist to Ukraine in its present counteroffensive and won’t be a sport changer after they ultimately arrive given Russian air protection methods and contested skies over Ukraine.
The F-16 is made by Lockheed Martin LMT.N.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; extra reporting by Idrees Ali and Bart Meijer, Louise Rasmussen in Copenhagen; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Toby Chopra)
