Pentagon Chief Austin allowed the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine no earlier than the spring of 2024

Ukraine will receive F-16 fighters no earlier than the spring of 2024, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said following a meeting of the contact group on arms supplies to Kyiv.

He noted that the training of Ukrainian pilots for the F-16 began in Europe. They also provide training in the USA.

“The earliest we can see the first funds is next spring,” the Pentagon chief said, adding that it will take months to transfer the aircraft to Kyiv (quote according to TASS).

Earlier on October 11, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder statedthat Brussels will send several F-16s to Ukraine by 2025.

In May, at the summit of the leaders of the G7 countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan) in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, an agreement was announced to supply American-made fourth-generation F-16 fighters to Kiev. In August, Reuters reported that Washington had approved the supply of F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Kyiv will be able to take advantage of “new opportunities” after pilot training is completed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SPIEF plenary session statedthat if supplied to Ukraine, F-16 fighters will burn in the same way as Leopard tanks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov promised military-technical response in the event of an F-16 appearing in the skies of Ukraine.