US allows allies to send F-16 warplanes to Ukraine

The United States has given the green light to allies willing to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and is set to help train Ukrainian pilots to fly the aircraft, paving the way for one of the most significant improvements to Kiev’s military capabilities since the beginning of the war.

US President Joe Biden told G7 leaders on Friday that Washington would support a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots and later equip the country’s air force with F-16s and other fourth-generation fighter jets, a US official said.

The US shift is a diplomatic victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will push for more military support as he attends the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.

Zelensky welcomed the “historic decision” of the White House. “This will greatly strengthen our military in the sky,” he said on Twitter.

Washington sees the effort as part of ensuring Ukraine has what it needs to strengthen its capabilities and defend itself in the long term. It is unlikely that the US will provide its F-16s to Kiev.

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Putin has said that the West is trying to drive a wedge between different ethnic and national groups in Russia and break the country up into dozens of different states.

“As the training takes place in the coming months, our coalition of nations participating in this effort will decide when to actually get the jets, how many and who will provide them,” a senior administration official said.

Denmark to train Ukrainian F-16 pilots

Meanwhile, Denmark will help train Ukrainian pilots on the US-made F-16 fighter jet, the country’s defense minister said Friday after Washington announced its support for such an initiative.

Denmark’s acting defense minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said the Scandinavian country “will now be able to move for a collective participation to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16.”

He added that Denmark will prioritize cooperation with its allies to support the plan and welcomed Biden’s decision to approve the scheme.

Lund Poulsen, however, did not mention whether Denmark will be among the countries that will provide fighter jets to Ukraine or not.

The Danish Air Force has about 40 F-16s, of which about 30 are operational. The country recently began taking delivery of newer F-35 fighters.

It is despite the fact that Washington has so far rejected the supply of F-16 jets to Kiev, arguing that the action is currently impractical due to training requirements and the possibility of the jets being shot down by Russian air defense systems.

Germany says not capable of being part of coalition to provide Ukraine with warplanes

Germany says it does not have the military capabilities to be part of a coalition to supply Ukraine with warplanes.

Biden’s fresh military package for Ukraine

Biden unveiled his $375 million military aid package for Ukraine in Hiroshima, Japan, a US official said on Friday.

The package will include artillery, ammunition and HIMARS rocket launchers, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The moves show strong support for Kiev ahead of an expected counteroffensive that Ukrainians hope will recapture more Russian-held territory. Moscow has bombarded Ukraine with missiles in recent weeks, but Kiev has claimed success in neutralizing attacks with new Western air defenses such as the Patriot missile system.

Zelensky heads to G7

Meanwhile, Zelensky traveled to Hiroshima on Saturday to join the Group of 7 talks after seeking US support for access to advanced F-16 fighter jets and training for Kiev pilots.

The rare long-term trip is an opportunity to hold talks with allies such as Biden and to attract key non-aligned powers to the summit, including India and Brazil.

Zelensky’s surprise appearance came after a stop in Jeddah to talk about the Arab League, as well as a breakthrough in his long-running campaign to convince Washington of Ukraine’s need for F-16s.

The West has supplied Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars worth of various weaponry since the onset of the Russian military campaign in February 2022 as a security measure against persisting eastern advance of the US-led NATO military alliance and the protection of Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine from abusive treatment by Kiev forces.

Weapons supplied to Ukraine by the West include rocket systems, drones, armored vehicles, tanks, and communication systems.

Russian officials have repeatedly warned against flooding Ukraine with weapons, insisting the massive shipments of armaments to Kiev will only prolong the bloody conflict.

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