The United States is still awaiting its European allies to finalize their plan for training Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets, CNN reported on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st August, 2023) The United States is still awaiting its European allies to finalize their plan for training Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets, CNN reported on Tuesday.
European officials have yet to submit a final plan to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, which the United States will have to approve before the program can begin, the report said, citing officials familiar with the matter.
The United States is currently trying to decide whether to send US pilots to help train Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16 jets, but no final decision has been made yet.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Sputnik for comment on this issue.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently said that training for Ukrainian pilots would begin in the coming weeks. Sullivan also said the United States was working with its European allies to determine the location and dates of the training.
In mid-July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would lead to a further escalation in the conflict because the aircraft have a modification that makes them nuclear-capable and represent direct threat to Russia.
