Changing skies over Ukraine

  

Changing skies over Ukraine

U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets are being transferred to Ukraine today, State Secretary Antony Blinken announced Wednesday during NATO’s 75th annual summit hosted this year in Washington. Catch a livestream of summit events, here.

Blinken’s delivery announcement comes less than a year after President Joe Biden authorized the aircraft transfer to Ukraine’s military, which has been defending against a legendarily calamitous Russian invasion for more than two years. Biden reportedly greenlit the plan last August, after it had become clear that Ukrainian troops were not going to be able to claw back much territory in its occupied southern and eastern regions.

 “I am pleased to announce that, as we speak, the transfer of F-16 jets is underway—coming from Denmark, coming from the Netherlands,” Blinken said in an interview Wednesday morning at the alliance summit.  

 “The transfer of F-16s is officially underway, and Ukraine will be flying F-16s this summer,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed during his opening remarks Wednesday. (His press secretary, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, had promised nearly as much last week when he told reporters at the Pentagon, “The initial deliveries of F-16s, as you’re tracking, are set to take place sometime this summer.” But he refused to get into additional details, citing security concerns.)