By Bond Robertson 
In recent months, Ukrainian pilots have been preparing to start training on combat aircraft of this type F16.
Aircraft made by the American company Lockheed Martin.
When the Ukrainian pilots are fully trained, the US will agree that these planes can be transferred to Ukraine, a US official told the Reuters news agency.
It is not known when the Ukrainian pilots will finish their training.
But a Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson said on Wednesday that they will not receive the F-16s this year, he writes. The New York Times.
Full support from the United States.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands about this, according to the source.
Reuters has reportedly seen the letter.
– I am writing to express the full support of the United States both for the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified instructors, Blinken wrote in the letter, according to Reuters.
Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen confirms the opposite Danish Public Broadcasting d He received a “friendly letter” from Blinken.
– I can confirm that we have received a letter from the US Secretary of State giving us certain options for action, Rasmussen tells the channel.
Laurens-Jan Vijge is among the pilots who will help train Ukrainian pilots, interviewed by Reuters in June. Here he stands in front of a fighter jet in the hangar in Volkel, the Netherlands.
Photo: Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters
Stork: – a positive sign
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storr (AP) told NRK that signals from the US are positive.
Is Norway ready to send F-16s to Ukraine?
– It’s a decision we should consider. We had a positive view of contributing to the training of Ukrainians so that they could fly such aircraft.
Building a combat air force, Store says, is a large and complex undertaking that several nations must contribute to over time.
– The United States is critical because it is primarily American technology. Therefore, the United States must be involved. The fact that they have now given this signal is positive. Norway will participate in those talks.
– So you say it might be appropriate to donate a Norwegian F-16 to Ukraine?
We haven’t taken a position on that yet. But we took part in a project to train Ukrainians. This is because we think it is right and reasonable for a sovereign country in Europe to have an air force.
He agreed to train in May
US President Joe Biden in May approved a plan for Ukrainian pilots to receive training on US-made F-16s.
The site contains many NATO countriesincluding Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, to help train pilots.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said training would begin Now in AugustAccording to The Washington Post.
Ukrainian pilot: – He gives us a chance to survive
Ukraine has long requested modern Western fighter jets to defend itself against Russian airstrikes.
Ukraine is regularly bombed by missiles and drones from Russia.
In May, NRK spoke to the Ukrainian fighter pilot Gus in Ukraine.
– Using F-16s, Ukraine can shoot down missiles and drones at the border before they reach the country. The pilot told NRK that he was giving us the chance to survive.
Ukrainian fighter pilot “Gus” spoke to NRK in May. He usually sits on fighter jets from the old Soviet Union, but hopes Ukraine can get Western fighter jets.
Photo: Torstein Georg Bøe/NRK