US 'greenlights' training of Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets
(Baonghean.vn) - On August 8, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh announced that US President Joe Biden has approved a joint effort with European allies to train Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets.
“We, and the President, have given the green light to allow and support the training, but I have no further updates at this time when it comes to specific pilots being trained,” Singh told reporters.
Earlier, US media reported that the US and Ukraine had identified a total of 32 pilots who could take part in F-16 training, although English proficiency remains a barrier to getting started. A group of NATO member states led by Denmark and the Netherlands will begin training Ukrainian soldiers on F-16s as soon as the final training plan is drafted and approved.
On the same day, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller announced that the Biden administration is planning to announce another military aid package for Ukraine this weekend. Mr. Miller said: "We continue to provide artillery and a range of weapons to Ukraine. We have other announcements later this week about additional weapons systems that we plan to provide to Ukraine." Meanwhile, European Commission spokesman Peter Stano affirmed that the European Union (EU) is not a security organization and therefore cannot guarantee security for Ukraine./.
