Poland and the Netherlands join training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters
In particular, Amsterdam will start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft "as soon as possible"
Poland and the Netherlands have joined the program of training Ukrainian pilots on American F-16 fighters.
Source. The leaders of the two countries announced this at the summit of the European Political Community in Moldova, CNN reports.
"We have drawn up a training schedule. Poland will help Ukraine in training F-16 pilots," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
In addition, he said that Warsaw does not have enough Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to give to Kyiv, so he called on other countries that have them to share them with the Ukrainian military as soon as possible.
The summit was also attended by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who said that Amsterdam would start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s "as soon as possible."
"This is an important step in ensuring that Ukraine can defend itself. We are here today with the leaders of the countries that make up the Fighter Coalition for Ukraine. I called on the other countries present to join the coalition. Ukraine must win this war," he wrote on Twitter.
At the same time, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said last week that Poland and other EU countries have already started training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. "Training has begun in several countries, such as Poland," he said.
Earlier, at least five European countries – Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway – privately indicated that they were ready to provide American F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The US government, which for many months had opposed the transfer of fighter jets to Kyiv, allowed Ukraine to receive F-16s that are in service with NATO countries.
Later, Washington decided to join the training of Ukrainian pilots on the fighter jets, said Jake Sullivan, the US Assistant to the President for National Security.
"As the training takes place in the coming months, we will work with our allies to determine when the aircraft will be delivered, by whom, and in what numbers," he said.
Background. Earlier, Reuters reported that at the summit in Moldova, Zelenskyy received signals of allied support for the fighter jets.
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