US President Joe Biden said in an interview with ABC News that Ukraine currently does not need American F-16 fighter jets, which the Ukrainian side has repeatedly requested.
Journalist David Muir asked, “Donʼt you think he [Zelensky] needs the F-16s right now?” “No, he doesnʼt need the F-16s right now,” Biden replied, but noted that it was “for now.”
The US president referred to data from the US military, which currently sees no reason to provide the F-16. But the needs of Ukrainian defense may change.
- Ukraine has been officially asking its allies for the provision of modern combat aircraft for several months. President Volodymyr Zelensky called on partners to provide fighter jets “as soon as possible” to repel Russiaʼs offensive.
- As of February 25, only the training of Ukrainian pilots was announced. Poland and Great Britain agreed to this. Negotiations are still underway with three European countries regarding pilot training. Currently, no country has officially announced the provision of aircraft to Ukraine.