Hopefully F-16s will be flying in Ukrainian skies by summer – Danish PM
Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark, believes that the F-16 fighter jets could be deployed in Ukraine by summer 2024.
Frederiksen recalled during her visit to Ukraine on 23 February at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Denmark had started the training on the F-16s for Ukrainian pilots back in August 2023, and it is "very fast-paced and efficient".
"The only reason why we are still delaying the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine is merely a technical reason, a technical nuance. Serious infrastructure is needed for the maintenance of these fighter jets," she explained.
The Danish PM also mentioned the complexity and durability of the training on these fighter-jets.
"We are working very diligently in this aspect, and I hope we will be able to see F-16s in Ukraine’s airspace soon, by summer. I think that, taking into account all those efforts we make and our amazing cooperation with our allies, we are ready to facilitate this by the summer," Frederiksen said.
Earlier, the Pentagon reported that the first four Ukrainian pilots were to finish their training on the F-16 American fighter jets by the summer.
Reportedly, the first F-16 fighter jets will appear in the Ukrainian sky approximately in June 2024.