The US has approved the deployment of F-16 fighters to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands after pilot training is completed. Reuters reports this.
Citing an unnamed official, Reuters notes that Washington has provided Denmark and the Netherlands with official assurances that the United States will expedite the approval of requests for the transfer of F-16s for shipment to Ukraine once the pilots undergo training.
A coalition of 11 countries was due to start training Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 fighter jets this month in Denmark. Denmark's acting Defense Minister Troels Poulsen said in July that the country hoped to see "results" from the training in early 2024.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent letters to his Danish and Dutch counterparts assuring them that the requests would be approved, the U.S. official said.
"I am writing to express the United States’ full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors", - Blinken said in a letter to the two officials, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.
He said the approval of the requests would allow Ukraine to take "full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training".
As reported earlier, Ukraine will not be able to receive F-16 fighters from allies in the upcoming autumn or winter.