Denmark will help train Ukrainian pilots on the US F-16 fighter jet after support and a “positive signal” from Washington, Denmark’s defense minister said on Friday, AFP and Agerpres reported.

F-16 Fighting Falcon pilotPhoto: APFootage / Alamy / Alamy / Profimedia

The Scandinavian country, which is going to replace its fleet of F-16s with F-35s, will now be able to help “train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s as well,” Acting Minister Troels Lund.Poulsen said.

“Denmark will make every effort to make this a priority contribution,” he added.

“We will agree on more detailed information with our close allies,” the minister said in a statement, welcoming US President Joe Biden’s “positive” green wave.

At the same time, he did not specify whether Denmark would contribute to the delivery of some aircraft.

The Danish Air Force has approximately 40 F-16s, of which about 30 are operational. The Nordic country recently began receiving its first fifth-generation F-35s, intended to replace them.

On Friday, long-reluctant Joe Biden made it clear he was willing to allow other countries to supply Ukraine with the F-16 jets it has been insisting on to counter a Russian invasion. “stories” of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

Joe Biden, who is participating in the G7 summit in Japan, assured interlocutors that he supports “a joint initiative to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighters, including the F-16,” according to a senior White House official.

The announcement was quickly welcomed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which announced in Iceland on Tuesday that they wanted to form the basis of an international coalition to provide F-16s to Ukraine.

In addition to Denmark and the Netherlands, the American model is equipped with several European armies, including Poland, Belgium, Greece and Norway.

___

  • Follow the latest events of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HotNews.ro