The US will give the green light to allies that wish to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and will help train Ukrainian pilots to fly the aircraft, paving the way for one of the most significant upgrades in Kyiv’s military capabilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion last year.
President Joe Biden told G7 leaders on Friday that Washington will back a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots and later equip the country’s air force with F-16s and other fourth generation fighter jets, a US official said.
The US shift is a diplomatic victory for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who will press his case for further military support when he attends the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend.