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Ukrainian minister says country to receive F-16s after ‘technical issues’ are resolved

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on May 25 that Denmark and the Netherlands will lead the European coalition to train Ukrainian pilots in flying F-16 fighter jets

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that the delivery of Western F-16 fighter jets will start immediately after the resolution of "technical issues."

"It will happen. I said this and will say this again, F-16s will happen, but it’s necessary to resolve all technical issues. It’s not an easy process," he said on Ukrainian 1+1 television.

He also said "the fighter-jets-for-Ukraine coalition is strengthening."

On May 21, Biden announced at a news conference following the G7 summit in Japan that the West will begin training Ukrainian pilots in flying fourth-generation aircraft, including F-16s. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that Washington will discuss with its allies in the coming months which countries will transfer F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on May 25 that Denmark and the Netherlands will lead the European coalition to train Ukrainian pilots in flying F-16 fighter jets. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky stated that the issue of F-16 deliveries was discussed on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Moldova on June 1. Yury Sak, an advisor to the Ukrainian Defense Minister, said that Kiev hoped to receive 40 to 50 F-16 fighter jets.