Training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots has begun

According to European Commission foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, the training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots in Europe has begun. Especially in Poland there is a lot of training. According to European journalist Geert Jan Hahn, this means that the fighter jets will almost certainly be delivered. “Of course you don’t train so you don’t play the game at the end.”

Borell made his statements in Brussels, where 27 European countries met to discuss European defense cooperation. According to Hahn, the Netherlands is in “pole position” when it comes to the supply of F-16s, also because the Ukrainians are well aware that we will be switching to new F-35s in 2024. is that in Ukraine they are aware that we are perhaps the first European country to give them.”

Receipts

Another topic Borell discussed was the receipts that European countries gave for the military aid they provided to Ukraine. These would amount to more than ten billion euros. “I’m curious how it will be paid off,” Hahn said. “It has to do with a jar where you can declare arms, the European Peace Facility. But I think there are only 3 to 5 billion euros in this jar. If we’re going to deliver these F-16s, we can’t report it. Perhaps that will become clearer after the meeting this afternoon.