US receives request from Denmark to support F-16 training for Ukrainians: Pentagon

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Pentagon said on Thursday that it received a request from Denmark to assist with training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

Speaking at a press briefing, spokesman Pat Ryder said it was a topic of discussion last week at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and the Netherlands and Denmark are in the lead in developing the training program for Ukrainian F-16 pilots.

"We have received a request from Denmark to support F-16 training, which would be expected. That is currently under review," Ryder told reporters.

The training is expected to take place before the end of the year "somewhere in Europe," said the spokesman. "The United States will work closely with our allies to implement that training.”

On June 15, however, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg revealed that Ukrainian fighter pilots are being trained to fly F-16 jets.

"The fact that training has started provides us with the option to also decide to deliver planes, and then the pilots will be ready to fly them," said Stoltenberg in Brussels.

To date, nations like Norway, Belgium, Portugal and Poland have offered to contribute to the training.