EU’s Borrell discusses ‘absolutely needed’ F-16 fighter jet training for Ukrainian pilots
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet flies past during the second day of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru on Feb. 14, 2023.
Manjunath Kiran | AFP | Getty Images
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs and security policy chief, said that the training of Ukrainian pilots to fly the sophisticated F-16 fighter jets is “absolutely needed,” as he spoke with EU defense chiefs about the recent U.S. decision to allow the instruction in NATO member states.
“You know, it’s always the same thing, we discuss, at the beginning everybody is reluctant,” Borrell said.
“And at the end — with the Leopards, with the F-16 at the end — the decision comes to provide this military support because it is absolutely needed,” he said, referencing the powerful German-made Leopard tanks that Kyiv spent many months requesting.
Borrell said that Ukrainian pilots were already being trained on the aircraft in Poland, though Warsaw did not immediately confirm the news. Other countries, including Denmark and the Netherlands, may also begin providing F-16 training to the pilots, Borrell said.
Pro-Ukraine demonstrators protest as they call on U.S. President Joe Biden to send F-16 jets to Ukraine, outside Hotel Marriott where Biden stays during his visit to Poland to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Warsaw, Poland, February 22, 2023.
Aleksandra Szmigiel | Reuters
Dutch defense minister Kajsa Ollongren was quoted by the AP as saying, “We can continue and also finalize the plans that we’re making with Denmark and other allies to start these trainings. And of course, that is the first step that you have to take … We will continue discussing with our allies and with countries that might have F-16s available about that next step. But that’s not on the table right now.”
The ability to train Ukraine’s pilots on the fourth-generation NATO aircraft followed a decision by President…
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