Eight European countries to participate in ‘fighter jet coalition’ to train Ukrainian pilots

Ihor Zhovkva, the deputy head of the President’s Office of Ukraine, reported that eight European countries have joined the “fighter jet coalition” to help train Ukrainian pilots. These countries include the U.K., the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Portugal, and France.

Zhovkva noted that “the parameters of the European part of the coalition” were determined following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to Chisinau for the European Political Community summit.

The agreements reached allow specific decisions regarding the scope and mechanisms for training pilots, maintenance personnel, and also the creation of conditions and the appropriate infrastructure for fighter jets at the next summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Zhovkva said that Ukraine was able to take concrete steps to accelerate the process for pilots and technicians to receive training in operating fourth-generation fighter jets, “including, but not limited to F-16s.”