Poland Says Sending F-16 Jets to Ukraine Now Not on Agenda
F 16 fighter jets takes part in the NATO Air Shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022
InternationalIndiaAfricaWARSAW (Sputnik) – Sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine is not on the agenda now as it is a very complicated process, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Marcin Ociepa said on Wednesday.”As of today, this topic [shipping of F-16 to Ukraine] is not on the agenda, if we talk about operational activities and primarily about political decisions,” Ociepa told the Polish broadcaster. The deputy minister stated that sending F-16 jets to Ukraine would not be the same as shipping arms since it would require more complex logistics, infrastructure and training. “[Training pilots for F-16 jets would take] many months. If we shorten training, then I think it may take six months. But it will be in a very urgent mode. Normally, it will take more time,” the official added.Kiev has long been lobbying Washington and other NATO nations to provide F-16 fighter jets to bolster its forces amid Russia’s special military operation.
MilitaryBiden Reveals US Will Not Provide Ukraine With F-16 Fighter Jets30 January, 21:27 GMTLast week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO countries to unlock the supply of long-range missiles and military aircraft to Kiev after Western countries announced their intention to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks.A group of US military officials is quietly lobbying to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which is gathering momentum in the US Defense Department as Kiev braces for a planned offensive this spring, US media reported earlier in the month, citing sources.