Biden seemingly rejects request to send U.S. F-16s to Ukraine

But a US official, when asked about Biden’s remarks, said, “There has been no serious, high-level discussion about the F-16.” In other words, it does not appear that Biden’s announcement is the result of an internal policy review and is instead the current stance of the final decision maker. That officer talked about disclosing internal matters on the condition of anonymity.

more obscure than short exchange video If the President’s “no” means “never” or “not now.” The administration has repeatedly said that decisions about security assistance depend on the realities of the battlefield in Ukraine. In an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, Deputy National Security Adviser John Finer said the US would discuss the fighter jets with Kyiv and its allies “very carefully”.

“We have neither ruled out nor rejected any specific system,” he said.

Another possibility is that the US could approve the re-export of F-16s from third-party countries that operate them, a requirement for the transfer of US-built warplanes.

The talk of sending F-16 to Ukraine is gaining momentum in the Pentagon A US Defense Department official is telling POLITICO Last week: “I don’t think we’re opposites.”

Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Monday that Poland would be ready to Provide your F-16s to Ukraine in coordination with NATO, Yet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly rejected requests for any F-16s coming from Kyiv.

“There is no question of fighter jets,” said Scholz In an interview with Tagespiegel published on Sunday, “When it comes to weapons systems I cannot recommend entering into a perpetual competition just to outdo each other.”