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Military operation in Ukraine

Biden rules out sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine for now

"There's things he needs now that we're sending him to put them in a position to be able to make gains this spring and this summer going into the fall," he said

US President Joe Biden AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

US President Joe Biden

© AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

NEW YORK, February 25. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden said that Ukraine does not currently need F-16 fighters, so for now he rules out their transfer to Kiev.

"I am ruling it out for now," he said in response to a related question in an interview with ABC television. Excerpts from the interview were aired on Friday.

Biden added that at the moment "he (Ukrainian President Vladmir Zelensky - TASS) needs tanks, artillery, air defense, including HIMARS."

"There's things he needs now that we're sending him to put them in a position to be able to make gains this spring and this summer going into the fall," he said.

When asked if this meant the US ruled out transferring F-16s to Kiev in the future, Biden said he could not predict Ukraine's defense needs over the long term.

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Ukraine United States Joseph Biden Military operation in Ukraine

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