UPDATE - EU says Ukrainian pilots have begun training on F-16 jets

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM BORRELL

By Selen Temizer

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Union announced Tuesday that Ukrainian pilots have already begun training to use US-made F-16 fighter jets.

"I am happy that finally the training of the pilots for the F-16 has started in several countries. It will take time, but the sooner the better," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels before chairing a meeting of foreign ministers from EU member states.

He added that the training is taking place in numerous countries, including Poland.

On May 15, the UK announced its intention to start training Ukrainian pilots this summer. Britain is actively collaborating with other nations to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.

Four countries – the UK, the Netherlands, France and Belgium – have already said they are prepared to train Ukrainian pilots fighting in the nearly 15-month-old war against Russia.

Western nations have long provided Ukraine with military and financial aid throughout the conflict, which erupted on Feb. 24 last year.

However, they have so far stopped short of sending Kyiv F-16 jets, with Belgium stressing that it could only train its pilots, pointing to its own limited fleet of the aircraft.

NATO allies are expected to take up the matter at a two-day summit in Lithuania set for July.

Speaking at the press conference after the meeting, Borrell said the EU member states have trained some 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers so far and they aim to increase this number to 30,000 by the end of the year.

Recalling the EU's Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) program, he noted that Ukraine has received 220,000 artillery rounds of various calibers and 1,300 missiles.

Borrell's "three-track approach" aims to address shortfalls, boost ammunition production across the bloc and support the replenishment of member states’ own stocks.

At a summit in March, EU leaders endorsed Borrell's three-track approach to support Ukraine with ammunition and replenish European stockpiles.