F-16 pilot training is message to Russia, but not game changer yet – German Chancellor
Potential allied training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets are a message to Russia that it cannot expect to ultimately succeed in its invasion of Ukraine, even in the event of a long-term conflict.
Source: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to journalists before leaving the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, as reported by European Pravda, citing Reuters
Quote: "The training of the pilots is a longer project," Scholz said
"The US has not finally decided what stands at the end. The project has a message for Russia: Russia cannot count on winning if it bets on a long war," the German Chancellor stated.
Details: Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of the UK, said that his country would cooperate with the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark "to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs".
The White House also confirmed that in the coming months, the US and its allies will discuss when and how many modern fighter jets Ukraine will receive.
American officials say that training on US-made aircraft will take place in Europe and will be time-consuming, with estimates suggesting that at least 18 months will be needed to prepare and deliver the aircraft.
A French military official expressed caution about the process during a briefing for journalists at the G7 meeting, saying that in the case of France, it was about basic pilot training.
Background:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the second time in a week. This one was during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
- Earlier, Olaf Scholz said that he did not see his country participating in the discussions on the creation of an alliance to supply Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
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