Poland has started training Ukrainian pilots on US F-16 fighter jets and several European Union (EU) countries are ready to supply aircraft to Ukraine, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrel.
“I am happy that finally the training of pilots for the F-16 has started in several countries, in Poland for example. It will take time, but the sooner the better,” he said at the start of a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels devoted to military support for Ukraine.
“We got the green light from Washington for F-16 training and we are working on a concrete schedule to start training. It is important to do this as soon as possible,” said Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren.
“First we start with the formations. The supply of the devices will be the next step,” she said, referring to “a joint effort with Denmark, Belgium, the United Kingdom and other allies”. Ms Ollongren did not name Poland, but her Danish counterpart Troels Lund Poulsen said the F-16 coalition had been discussed with Warsaw.
The supply of aircraft, however, promises to be complicated. “The United Kingdom does not have an F-16”, admitted the Dutch minister.
France and Germany either. “Our contribution is irrelevant simply because we don’t have F-16s and we can’t train pilots,” explained German Minister Boris Pistorius.
Sweden, Latvia and Estonia have also announced that they do not have F-16s.
The devices could be supplied to kyiv by other EU countries, which have not yet made any announcements, or by the United States. They will “allow Ukraine to strengthen its air defenses,” insisted Swedish Minister Pal Jonson.
Ministers were due to discuss the supply of ammunition and other weapons on Tuesday. “We must provide Ukraine with all the armaments it needs,” said Estonian Hanno Pevkur.
“We deliver,” assured Josep Borrell, announcing “concrete data” on ammunition supplies at the end of the meeting.
“Member states have presented us with invoices for an amount of 10 billion euros, which is much more than expected” for the armaments delivered to Ukraine since the start of the war launched by Russia, he said. he announces.
Reimbursements of the order of 40% of the amounts are made by the European Peace Facility (EFF), a “kitty” constituted and financed by contributions from Member States outside the EU budget managed by the Commission.
Initially endowed with 5.7 billion euros (CA$8.34 billion) for the period 2021-2027, it has already released 3.6 billion euros (CA$5.25 billion) for supplies to the Ukraine.
Hungary refuses the release of a new tranche of 500 million euros ($730 million CA), confirmed Josep Borrell, saying however “certain” that it would be released.