The United States will start training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets starting in September so they can use the advanced aircraft against Russian forces, the Department of Defence Pentagon announced on Thursday. The announcement came as US President Joe Biden spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to commemorate Ukraine’s Independence Day. Biden also reiterated support for the effort in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
The White House said that the two leaders discussed F-16 training, and Biden also assured Zelenskyy of an expedited approval for other countries to transfer F-16s to Ukraine after the completion of the training, as reported by AP.
Freedom And Independence Are Worth Fighting For: Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy took to X, formerly Twitter, and thanked Biden for his Independence Day greetings. He also expressed his gratitude towards the United States and said that the US took a leading role in consolidating global support for Ukraine, and together the two countries proved that freedom and independence are worth fighting for.
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"Had talks with US President Joseph Biden @POTUS and thanked him for his Independence Day greetings. The United States took a leading role in consolidating global support for Ukraine. This decisive leadership made our struggle possible and directed the arc of history in the direction of good. Together we prove that freedom and independence are worth fighting for. I thank President Biden, the US Congress, and all Americans for this. You can count on Ukraine to protect our common values," Zelenskyy said on X.
This Is About Long-Term Support To Ukraine, Says Pentagon
Pentagon spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said that the training is part of long-term support for Ukraine. The training will take place at Morris Air National Guard base in Tucson, Arizona. "This is about the long-term support to Ukraine," the Pentagon spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, told reporters in Washington, as quoted by the AP. "This is not about the counteroffensive that they’re conducting right now," he added.
Speaking further about the training, Ryder said that the pilots will first undergo English instruction at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, with the aim of increasing their fluency to the level needed to operate the aircraft.