The United States is reportedly reluctant to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine due to the substantial cost associated with the provision of these aircraft and concerns that the introduction of more advanced weaponry in the region could provoke Moscow to intensify its attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his allies have lobbied for Western fighter jets to be supplied to the Ukrainian Air Force to help deter Russia’s invasion. The United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands have announced plans to build an international coalition to provide Ukraine with combat air capabilities, but Washington is hesitant due to the substantial cost associated with the provision of these aircraft and concerns that the introduction of more advanced weaponry in the region could provoke Moscow to intensify its attacks.
US President Joe Biden and his administration are reluctant to train Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16, which is still widely in use within the US Air Force. This is due to the critical nature of the aircraft, which requires explicit approval from the US or else it would be limited to technical language and tactical lessons without ever touching an F-16.
Kurt Volker, former US Ambassador to NATO and former US Special Representative for Ukraine, explained that part of the administration was hoping to delay the delivery until after the war, as the expectation is that the war will be over before any F-16s are transferred to Ukraine.