F-16 training program for Ukrainian pilots to be developed within weeks, Dutch PM says
The program to train Ukrainian pilots on
F-16 fighter jets will be worked out in the “coming weeks,” Dutch
PM Mark Rutte said in a Twitter post on May 19.
Rutte endorsed Western allies finally deciding to lift the taboo on providing Ukraine with modern aircraft.
“Together with my British, Danish, and Belgian colleagues we welcome the news that the United States stands ready to approve the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets,” the PM said in his message.
“The modalities will be worked out in the coming weeks. Ukraine can count on the unwavering support of the Netherlands and its international partners.”
Earlier on May 19, NBC News reported that the United States and its allies are planning to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets. While it’s unclear when the aircraft will be delivered, an unnamed U.S. official said they won’t arrive in time to participate in Ukraine’s anticipated summer counteroffensive.
CNN reported that U.S. President Joe Biden informed G7 allies that Washington will support training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s. This training is expected to take a few months. Yahoo News reported that the U.S. Air Force expects Ukrainian pilots to learn how to operate and fly F-16s in just four months, shorter than previously anticipated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on May 16 that the Netherlands, France, and the UK have support equipping Ukraine with modern war planes as part of a broader international coalition, with London and Paris confirming their readiness to train Ukrainian pilots.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
