Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli PM's office: PM informed Trump he would not attend Sharm el-Sheikh Summit on account of Jewish holidays.
Israeli media: Netanyahu makes last-minute decision to cancel trip to Sharm el-Sheikh.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Large crowds gather in Khan Younis to welcome the liberated Palestinian detainees, waving flags of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in celebration
Buses of released prisoners arrive in Ramallah
Israeli media: Netanyahu gifts Trump a "Golden Dove".
Israeli media: Netanyahu will take part in Sharm el-Sheikh Summit.
Trump's Air Force One lands in Tel Aviv
Al-Qassam: To our free prisoners: Gaza, its Resistance, have given their most precious possessions, have striven with all their might to break your chains; we pledge that your cause will remain at the top of our national priorities until you are all freed.
Al-Qassam Brigades: Instead its army killed dozens of them as a result of its failed policy of military pressure.
Al-Qassam Brigades: Nazi occupation could have recovered most of its captives alive many months ago, but it kept stalling and acting arrogantly.

Washington risks schism with allies over F-16s hesitancy: Report

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 18 May 2023 23:57
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The reaction in Washington to possibly supply Ukraine with F-16s ranges from unfavorable to unenthusiastic, as per the report.

  • x
  • Washington risks disagreement with allies over F-16s hesitancy: Report
    An F-16 fighter jet at Edwards Air Force Base in California, September 20, 2012 (Reuters)

The United risks creating a rift with its European allies by refusing to consider delivering F-16 aircraft to Ukraine, and the topic is likely to be brought up at the upcoming G7 conference in Japan, an analysis written by Dan Sabbagh and Artem Mazhulin suggested in The Guardian.

Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Europe this week, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands announced a so-called "international coalition" to obtain US-made F-16s and train Ukrainian pilots and crews.

In a TV interview on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said there were "no taboos" about training Ukrainian pilots in France, turning the attention to the US, which must approve the deployment of any F-16s to Ukraine.

However, the reaction in Washington has ranged from unfavorable to unenthusiastic, the report noted.

"We want to ensure that the assets and systems that we offer our Ukrainian partners are the most impactful, that they can use them now," Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said on Wednesday when asked about F-16 delivery.

US President Joe Biden has previously ruled against supplying F-16s to Ukraine, citing concerns that training pilots and ground staff would take months and that providing them to Ukraine may be perceived by the Russians as an escalatory move.

Zelensky is scheduled to speak Friday at the G7 conference in Hiroshima, Japan. The report suggested that the Ukrainian leader "will try to raise the F-16 issue, although he will want to be careful not to embarrass Biden at the meeting of the leaders of the world’s leading economies."

The two writers pointed out that Kiev is "desperate" for the F-16s as it plans a spring offensive against Moscow.

Related News

Gold hits record $4,059 as US-China trade clash fuels safe-haven rush

Trump arrives in Tel Aviv before Sharm el-Sheikh summit

"While its [Ukraine's] small, Soviet-standard air force remains operational, it is able to run only a dozen or so combat missions a day and cannot risk too many losses in a long war," the report pointed out.

Echoing Zelensky's claims, Yuri Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian air force, alleged that Ukraine would not use F-16s "to hit targets on Russian territory. Territory of Ukraine occupied by Russia, yes. But Russian territory, no," in reference to the four regions that were accessed to Russia by referenda.

"We also need them [F-16s] to patrol the border and keep the Russian air force further away."

According to the report, "The most obvious problem with any gift of F-16s is that it would take at least three and more likely six to nine months to train Ukrainian pilots and crews."

Ihnat confirmed that Ukraine had been compiling a list of possible pilots and teaching them English in order for them to begin their training on flying F-16s. The incoming head of the Royal Air Force, Sir Richard Knighton, told MPs that specifics of the program were still being worked out.

However, The New York Times revealed that the United States was not allowing Ukrainian pilots to train on F-16s commanded by European countries.

In the same context, the UK's Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, indicated during a trip to Berlin that "it’s up to the White House to decide if it wants to release that technology," in reference to the F-16s.

Given the time it would take to provide the F-16s, Wallace said he did not believe the US-made aircraft was a "magic wand" for Ukraine's combat demands.

Read more: Supplying Kiev with F-16 jets is 'difficult': Danish PM

  • United States
  • F-16
  • Washington
  • US
  • Kiev
  • Ukraine
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025
Taylor Swift: The Life of a Showgirl

The Life of a No-Girl: The one verse Taylor Swift refuses to sing

  • Arts and Culture
  • 8 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
Ceasefire in Gaza takes effect amid conflicting signals and bombings

Gaza ceasefire takes effect; 'Israel' resumes bombing, timing disputed

  • Politics
  • 9 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
124 martyrs over past 24 hours in Gaza
Politics

124 martyrs retrieved over past 24 hours in Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, on September 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Politics

Netanyahu falsely promoting Gaza deal as achievement: Israeli media

Dr. Hossam Abu Safieh supervises the treatment of an injured man on November 21 2024 (AFP / Getty Images)
Politics

'Israel' refuses to release two Gaza doctors as part of ceasefire deal

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS