2023-05-20 00:57:25
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday praised a “historic” decision by US President Joe Biden, who told G7 leaders that his country would support the formation of an alliance to deliver fighters to Kiev and train pilots.
“We welcome the historic decision of the United States and the American president to support an international coalition to deliver fighter jets. This will significantly enhance the ability of our army in the air,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter.
Biden had informed the leaders of the “Group of Seven” that Washington would support the delivery of advanced warplanes, including F-16 fighters, to Ukraine, and would support efforts to train Ukrainian pilots, as a senior White House official announced Friday.
“During the period during which the training will take place in the coming months, the coalition of countries participating in this effort will decide when and how many aircraft to provide and who will provide them,” the official said, giving the strongest signal yet from the United States to deliver the planes that Kiev desperately demands.
For his part, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, “A decision will be taken regarding the countries that will provide Ukraine with F-16 aircraft in the coming months,” adding that “training Ukrainians on F-16 aircraft requires several months.”
A new US military aid package for Ukraine
A US official said today, Saturday, that President Biden will announce a $375 million military aid package to Ukraine while he is in Hiroshima, Japan, where he is attending the 2023 G7 summit.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that the package would include artillery, ammunition and rocket launchers.
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