Ukraine's Foreign Minister hopes F-16s will appear in Ukrainian skies early next year

Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, believes that Ukraine may receive its first F-16 fighter jets by the end of March 2024, but the deadline may be shifted. 

Source: Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with Radio Liberty

Details: When asked to give an estimate of when training would begin and when Ukraine could expect to receive the US-made F-16 fighter jets, Kuleba replied: "I think it's just a very complicated technical issue."

Quote: "Training should begin sometime in August, possibly in early September. In parallel, we will be preparing the legal decisions necessary for the transfer of the aircraft and the aircraft themselves. 

I think that if by the end of the first quarter of next year the first F-16s are flying in Ukrainian air, flown by Ukrainian pilots, then it will be on schedule.

But we need to train engineers, technicians, and prepare the infrastructure. There are a lot of peculiarities, so the schedule could be shifted. But the Minister of Defence is working very actively here. We are doing everything together to speed up this process as much as possible."

More details: Regarding the ATACMS long-range missiles, Kuleba said that the US has not yet made this decision for "fairly objective" reasons. "We are working with them," the minister said.

He has added that the United States is making decisions on providing Kyiv with some other types of weapons, and these are also "very difficult decisions," but "they are making them, nevertheless".

Quote: "I can only say that I do not believe that the decision on ATACMS is being deliberately withheld. I don't see that. There are certain problems, there are certain aspects that need to be resolved in order for it to be provided. But the US is really doing a lot for us. We are very grateful to them for that. That's why we have no reason to criticise them for it."

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