President Joe Biden makes no secret of his attachment to the ongoing Kiev’s support. He reiterates so every time, as he did in a lately conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on August 24, the historical date on which the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics split 32 years ago.
On the call to celebrate such a date, which Ukraine takes as its Independence Day, Biden ratified to support Kiev “for as long as it takes”.
The training of Ukrainian pilots in the operation of US-made F-16 fighter-bombers will take place at the Morris National Guard base in Tucson (Arizona). Earlier, the training will be carried out at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio (Texas), where they will receive English classes as well.
Notwithstanding Pentagon Spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder deemed it would take years before Ukrainian pilots would be able to fly advanced fighter jets.
Critics of Washington’s stance and of the West in general argue that the U.S. is pushing the Ukrainian crisis to the brink of nuclear war by handing over F-16s to Ukraine.
In July, in the context of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, Biden and the G-7 leaders expressed in a joint statement their long-term military support for Ukraine.
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