US confirms F-16s will be sent to Ukraine after pilot training 

The Guardian reported the information.

On Friday, August 18, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed during a press conference that Denmark and the Netherlands had approved the transfer of F-16s to Kyiv.

"What we did this week is formalized through a letter from Secretary Blinken to his counterparts in Europe, that upon the completion of that training, the United States would be prepared in consultation with Congress to approve third party transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine," Sullivan said.

The National Security Advisor emphasized that Washington had not previously rejected its intention to transfer the fighter jets to Ukraine.

F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine

On May 21, US 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. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry adviser Yuriy Sak said that Ukraine hopes to receive the first modern American F-16 fighter jets in the fall of 2023.

In July, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the first F-16 fighter jets are likely to fly in Ukraine's skies by the end of March 2024.

On Sunday, July 16, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the US would not postpone training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, and Biden allowed European countries to start training.

On July 22, Sullivan also said that Ukrainian pilots would begin training on F-16s in the next few weeks.

On August 11, media reported that the first group of Ukrainian pilots would complete training on F-16 fighter jets no earlier than next summer. The start of combat training will be preceded by 4-month language courses.

Subsequently, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi met with the Chief of Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces in Ukraine. Among the topics discussed was pilot training on F-16 fighter jets.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis confirmed that the country will train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s: a regional training center will be opened there.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat announced on August 17 that Ukraine won't be able to get F-16 fighters from Western allies during the upcoming fall or winter. Therefore, the focus will be on bolstering air defense capabilities. Concurrently, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed optimism about the prospect of providing F-16s to Ukraine, while Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hinted at forthcoming positive news.

On August 18,  Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Wopke Hoekstra confirmed that on August 17, the United States approved the delivery of F-16 multi-role fighter jets to Ukraine.