Aviation coalition starting to bear fruit, says Foreign Minister
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A coalition set up by Ukraine’s partners to support the supply of combat aircraft is already starting to work, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on June 19.
The basic training of Ukrainian pilots has been launched, and practical training on planes and simulators will soon begin, he said.
"There is still training of technicians, preparation of infrastructure, and all this is being prepared," Kuleba said.
"Every day there are discussions about which countries will provide the planes. I won't name anyone yet, but the issue is moving forward. We are focused on the F-16 fighter jets for several reasons, but we don't rule out receiving other aircraft models."
Ukraine expects to receive F-16 fighter jets from its Western partners by the end of 2023, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on June 19.
Eight European countries have expressed their willingness to participate in the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine:
• The United Kingdom
• The Netherlands
• Poland
• Denmark
• Sweden
• Belgium
• Portugal
• France
The United States, which must provide final permission for F-16s to be supplied, has stated that in the coming months agreements will be made on how many aircraft will be transferred, when, and by whom. However, the fighter jets will only be supplied on the condition that Ukraine will not use them for strikes on internationally recognized Russian territory.
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