John Kirby: Ukraine will probably receive the F-16 by the end of the year

“The United States may deliver F-16 fighters to Ukraine by the end of this year” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council.

The F-16s will most likely reach Ukraine by the end of the year. But we don't think that only the F-16 will be able to change the situation on the battlefield, a spokesman for the US National Security Council said on Thursday in an interview with Fox News.

John Kirby added that Ukraine now needs more artillery shells.

F-16 fighters for Ukraine

“Ukraine will receive F-16 fighters from the Western coalition,” Jake Sullivan, the US president's national security adviser, said in late May. As he explained, the training of Ukrainian pilots is to start soon. The authorities in Kyiv must comply with the condition of not using American equipment for attacks in Russia.

President Joe Biden informed the leaders of the G7 countries who are attending the meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, that the US will support joint training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighters, including F-16 jets.

Volodymyr Zelensky referred to the decision of the US and Biden.

"This will significantly change our army in the sky. I look forward to discussing the practical implementation of this decision at the G7 summit in Hiroshima," the Ukrainian president wrote on Twitter.