After the United States gave the green light last week to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, several Western allies are now finalizing plans to do so, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said.
Arriving at the meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels, she advocated for the training to start as soon as possible. “I am very happy that we got the green light from Washington to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. This means that we can complete the plans to start training, which we are preparing together with Denmark,” she said.
In addition to the United States, Belgium and the United Kingdom are currently participating in this, she said Ollongren. But she is convinced that other allies will join.
At the same time, the Dutch minister emphasized that they are currently focusing on preparations for pilot training, and not so much on the delivery of the planes themselves.
Discussions on the delivery of aircraft in the coming weeks
Deputy Minister of Defense of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen however, he said that in the coming weeks there will be talks on the formation of a coalition for the supply of combat aircraft to Ukraine. According to him, Denmark wants to play a leading role in these talks.
Minister of Defense of Estonia and Germany, Hanna Singer and Boris Pistorius whose countries do not have F-16 aircraft, meanwhile, upon their arrival in Brussels, they explained that the possibilities for their countries’ participation in this coalition are limited. However, Pistorius assured that they will look into what options exist.
Further military support for Kiev is one of the central topics of today’s meeting of EU defense ministers, where they are also discussing the joint ordering of artillery ammunition for Ukraine.
High Foreign Policy Representative Josep Borrell already after Monday’s meeting of the foreign ministers of the member states, he called for the acceleration of arms deliveries. He also welcomed progress on the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine.
Source: Rtvslo
