US considered training and later supplying F-16s to Ukraine long before G-7 summit, - Politico
Washington was convinced of the need for a "two-stage approach", which involves first training on the F-16, and later the supply of fighters to the Armed Forces.
Politico writes about this with reference to five high-ranking American officials, Censor.NET reports.
"For more than a year, Kyiv has been asking for modern fighter jets, and the response from the Biden administration has been either 'no' or 'not now.'" That changed late last week, when President Joe Biden told allies he would support an international coalition to train Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets, laying a way for modern jets to one day be deployed on the front lines," writes Politico.
According to the publication, questions about the F-16 were raised at the Ramstein-style meeting on April 21, 2023.
"During the meeting, Austin's colleagues demanded permission to train Ukrainians on the F-16. Later, Austin raised this issue with the leadership of the White House National Security Council, which "unanimously" agreed that the training makes sense," writes Politico.
Austin also discussed the matter directly with Biden on the eve of the G-7 summit held last weekend in Hiroshima, recommending that the United States approve the training of Ukrainian pilots by allies and the transfer of aircraft.
"Although these aircraft are not relevant to the future counteroffensive, Austin decided that Ukraine should have an air capability that belongs to the fourth generation, so the training made sense," said an unnamed Pentagon official.
The interlocutor of the publication also said that Washington finally became convinced of the need for a "two-stage approach", which involves first training on the F-16, and later the supply of fighters to the Armed Forces, during the trip of the US assistant to the president for national security, Jake Sullivan, to London in May 2023.
Sullivan then discussed it with representatives of Great Britain, France, and Germany, as well as by phone with colleagues in the Netherlands and Poland.
"After returning to Washington on May 11, he informed the president (Biden. - Ed.) that there is broad support among allies for a two-stage approach. Biden told his colleagues that he would support the plan at the meeting of G-7 leaders on Friday," the official quoted edition.
"On May 11, Sullivan informed Biden that the allies support the American proposal. On May 21, Biden announced at a press conference following the results of the G7 summit that the West would begin training Ukrainian pilots to use fourth-generation fighters, including the F-16," the journalists concluded.
