Still no set schedule for F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots — Zelenskyy

He made this announcement during a press conference in Kyiv with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez.

"We have agreed and confirmed that we have a group of countries ready to initiate training for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16. However, there is currently no set schedule for the training missions. I don't know why some partners are causing these delays," Zelenskyy stated.

F-16 fighters for Ukraine

On May 21, U.S. President Joe Biden approved the training of Ukrainians on F-16s. Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine would not use these aircraft to strike at Russian territory.

Defense Ministry adviser Yuriy Sak said that Ukraine hopes to receive the first modern American F-16 fighters in the fall of 2023.

On May 25, at a meeting in the Ramstein format, it was announced that the coalition to train the Ukrainian Armed Forces with F-16s would be led by Denmark and the Netherlands and would include four other countries: Norway, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. 

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

On June 15, following the Ramstein meeting, Stoltenberg said that training on the F-16 had already begun. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin noted the rapid progress in this area, and a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force said that they wanted a quick result, but that "the process is delayed."

The same day, it was reported that Denmark and the Netherlands plan to start training Ukrainian pilots this summer and will establish a training center in an Eastern European NATO country.

According to Defense Minister Reznikov's statement after the Ramstein meeting, he expressed confidence in the formation of a coalition and assured that the pilots of the Ukrainian Air Force would learn to operate the Western F-16 fighter jets faster than expected by Ukraine's allies. The four-month timeline seems realistic for pilots, but technicians may require more time.

According to a Politico source, a coalition of Western countries is considering Romania as a place to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s.

On June 22, Denmark requested assistance from the United States to train Ukrainian pilots in the use of F-16 fighters.

On June 26, Acting Defense Minister of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced the commencement of training for pilots from Ukraine on Western F-16 fighter jets.