after the American green light, Denmark announces to help train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 planes

Denmark will contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots on the American-made F-16 fighter plane, after the approval of the United States, announced on Friday May 19, the Danish Minister of Defense.

The Scandinavian country, which is in the process of replacing its F-16 fleet with F-35s, will now be able to contribute to “to train Ukrainian pilots to also fly on F-16”said acting minister Troels Lund Poulsen. “Denmark will make every effort to make this a priority contribution,” he added. “We will now agree on more details with our close allies,” affirmed the minister, welcoming the green light “positive” of US President Joe Biden.

However, he did not specify whether Denmark would contribute to the delivery of some of the devices. The Danish Air Force has about 40 F-16s, of which about 30 are operational. The Nordic country recently began receiving its first fifth-generation F-35s to replace them.

A “historic” American decision

Long reluctant Joe Biden said on Friday that he was now ready to allow other countries to supply Ukraine with the F-16s it ardently demands to counter the Russian invasion, in an important turning point in Western support for Kiev and a decision qualified as‘”historical” by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The American president, who is taking part in the G7 summit in Japan, assured his interlocutors of his “support for a joint initiative to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation combat aircraft, including F-16s”, according to a senior White House official. In addition to Denmark and the Netherlands, the American model equips several European armies, including that of Poland, Belgium, Greece and even Norway.