Media: Washington is delaying permission to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16

The US authorities are delaying permission to train Ukrainian pilots to fly American F-16 fighter jets, the Politico newspaper reports. This is stated in the material TASS.

In this regard, more than 10 European countries cannot start the learning process, as they are required to coordinate this decision with Washington. The material says that training is planned to start in August in Denmark, and a regional training center will be established in Romania.

At the same time, the US State Department has not yet allowed the transfer of instructions, simulators and other necessary equipment to European partners. The US authorities limited themselves to stating that the issue is under consideration, despite the fact that US President Joe Biden promised to agree on a training program.

Politico writes that there are no guarantees that a positive decision for Kyiv will still be made.

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the United States and its NATO satellites create the risk of a direct armed clash with Russia, which is fraught with “catastrophic consequences.” The minister stressed that the appearance in Ukraine of F-16 fighters capable of carrying nuclear weapons would be considered by Russia as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere.