The Netherlands may supply F-16s to Ukraine as soon as Ukrainian pilot training is completed. Two anonymous sources reported this to Bloomberg. On Thursday evening, Defense Minister Ollongren announced that the Netherlands and Denmark would lead F-16 training sessions, which will begin next summer.

Based on Bloomberg the Dutch government has held talks with the US government in recent weeks. Those talks should put pressure on President Biden’s administration, those involved report to news agencies. America had to give permission for the delivery of the F-16, because the fighter was made in America.

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The Netherlands currently has 42 F-16s. The Dutch army still has 24 of these aircraft in service, but in theory they cannot go to Ukraine until the middle of next year at the earliest. The remaining 18 aircraft were supposed to be sold to American defense company Draken International, but the Department of Defense postponed the sale for no apparent reason, wrote Bloomberg.

Take the moon

The Netherlands and Denmark will start training dozens of pilots next summer. The training took place in Denmark. Belgium and Britain are also involved, the Ministry of Defense reported last Wednesday.

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According to defense specialist Patrick Bolder of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies, it could be months before the training of Ukrainian pilots is complete. ‘In the Netherlands, in conditions of peace, it takes years for a pilot to be ready to act as the leader of a large formation. Ukrainians don’t have time.’