Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told DailyExpertNews’s Wolf Blitzer that he is “deeply grateful” for US President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine last month.
“It is an important signal to the whole world that the US supports us. And I think the US believes we will prevail,” Zelensky said.
But when asked if the US will send Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets to help the battle for control in the skies, Zelensky said: “The issue of fighter jets is a difficult one. We are waiting for this decision.”
“We really need this and are calling on the president to train Ukrainian pilots, and President Biden told me it will be worked on… I believe the United States will give us the opportunity to defend our airspace,” Zelensky said . .
When asked whether the supply of Western aircraft will “make or break” a Ukrainian success in the war, Zelensky said, “Yes, we believe that.”
Recalling a discussion with Biden about jets, Zelensky said Biden and his aides felt jets were “not necessary at this point.”
“And I said, ‘No, we need those jets,'” Zelensky said.
“What fighter jets could do, they could help us defend ourselves,” Zelensky said. “That’s why we need it urgently.”
More about Ukrainian pilots: The U.S. is working with Ukrainian pilots in the United States to determine how long it would take to train them to fly F-16 fighter jets, three sources briefed on the matter told DailyExpertNews.
Two Ukrainian pilots are currently at a military base in the US and are having their skills tested in flight simulators to see how much time they need to learn how to fly various US military aircraft, including F-16s.
A US military official added that “there are no updates on F-16s to Ukraine” and that there are no immediate plans to increase the number of Ukrainian pilots in the US.
