UPDATED at 12:50 p.m., official confirmation was added:
Denmark and the Netherlands have officially confirmed permission for the dispatch of F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
The head of the Danish Foreign Ministry, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, noted that a date for the dispatch had not yet been decided, and the issue was being discussed with allies.
Meanwhile, the head of the Dutch Foreign Ministry, Wopke Hoekstra, thanked the USA and mentioned further discussions, including with Ukraine.
The US has officially approved the dispatch of American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands, following the completion of training for Ukrainian pilots.
This is reported by Reuters, citing an unnamed US official.
According to the report, Washington has provided official assurances to Denmark and the Netherlands that the US will expedite the approval of all necessary third-party requests for the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine so that the nation can receive the fighters once the pilots complete their training.
Denmark and the Netherlands, leading the aviation coalition, recently sent the US a request for the said assurances. A source at Reuters stated that Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent letters to his Danish and Dutch counterparts assuring that the requests will be approved.
"I am writing to express the United States’ full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors," reads Blinken's letter, a copy of which was reviewed by the publication.
Blinken indicated that the approval of third-party requests will allow Ukraine to take "full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training."
Background. The Washington Post previously reported that Ukraine would likely be without F-16 pilots for another year.