Schedule is shifting: Ukrainian pilots haven’t started F-16 training yet — Kuleba

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated this during the telethon.

He believed that Ukraine would receive aircraft in the early months of next year.

"I thought training would begin in June as originally promised. However, training did not commence in June. This indicates a delay in the training schedule," Kuleba explained.

Kuleba stated that Ukraine is currently collaborating with all parties involved, including countries in the aircraft coalition, to expedite the process. This involves training pilots and engineers, preparing infrastructure, and making necessary legal decisions for aircraft transfer.

"This is a significant undertaking that should have started earlier but didn't go as expected. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already expressed his reaction to this," Kuleba added.

The minister emphasized that everyone is actively working to get the process back on track. He clarified that this is not about politics but about a complex process that requires coordination and primarily relies on Ukraine's intervention.

The minister debunked reports suggesting that Ukrainian military training on the F-16 had commenced.

"We live in an era of overwhelming information, and anyone can find the information they want to see. However, the training has not started. One country had promised to begin training in June, but now they claim that preparations are ongoing. Nevertheless, we are pushing to accelerate everything as much as possible," Kuleba concluded.

F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine 

On May 21, US President Joe Biden approved the training of Ukrainians on the F-16 fighter jets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine would not use them to attack Russia. Yuriy Sak, an adviser to the Ministry of Defense, mentioned that Ukraine expects to receive the first modern American F-16 fighter jets in the fall of 2023.

During a Ramstein meeting on May 25, it was announced that Denmark and the Netherlands would lead the coalition for training the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the F-16. Four more countries, namely Norway, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland, would also be part of the coalition.

On June 14, the Netherlands, one of the leaders of the aviation coalition, stated that the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 would commence in the coming months.

On June 15, it was announced by Stoltenberg, based on the Ramstein meeting, that the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 had already started. The US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, expressed satisfaction with the progress, while Ukraine’s Air Force spokesperson mentioned their desire for a quick outcome, but acknowledged that the process takes time.

On the same day, it was revealed that Denmark and the Netherlands plan to begin training Ukrainian pilots during the summer and establish a training center in an Eastern European NATO country.

Following the Ramstein meeting, Ukraine's Defense Minister, Reznikov, expressed confidence in the formation of a coalition. He also assured that Ukrainian Air Force pilots can adapt to Western F-16 fighter jets faster than expected by Ukraine's allied countries. A four-month timeframe seems realistic for pilots, but technicians require additional time.

The day before, Politico reported that a Western coalition is considering Romania as a potential location for training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16.

On June 22, Denmark formally requested the United States to assist in training Ukrainian pilots for operating F-16 fighter jets.

Acting Defense Minister of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced on June 26 that the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western F-16 fighter jets has begun.

On July 1, President Zelenskyy mentioned that the schedule for training Ukrainian pilots on Western F-16 fighter jets has not been finalized yet, and some foreign partners are causing delays.