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| President Joe Biden Refuses to Give F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine, Here's the Reason! |
Washington - United States (US) President Joe Biden confirmed on Monday (30/1/2023) that Washington would not provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in its future military aid package. The US president's remarks came as he spoke to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, moments after he returned from an event in Baltimore, Maryland.
The F-16 fighter jet is a fourth-generation supersonic fighter aircraft developed for the US Air Force by manufacturer General Dynamics. Officially introduced into service in August 1978.
Asked whether F-16s for Ukraine were included in a forthcoming military aid package, Biden answered reporters' questions with a simple "No". He has also indicated that he intends to visit Poland but is still unsure when that trip will take place.
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Ukraine has asked the Biden administration and congressional lawmakers to provide F-16 jets to bolster regime forces amid ongoing Russian special military operations. Amid reports of US deliveries of Abrams tanks, talk of a possible delivery of F-16s to Ukraine has gained strong momentum in Washington over the past few weeks.
In fact, US media had previously reported a group of US military officials had been working behind the scenes to lobby for the shipment. However, experts have noted the F-16 jets in Ukraine carry more of a domestic propaganda quality, as opposed to actually helping Ukrainian forces amid hostilities.
“F-16s to Ukraine only serve as domestic propaganda for further war, and they will create more opportunities for domestic outrage on both sides, and they reduce the ability to reach a real deal and settle Ukraine's borders in a war that serves the interests of the people. actually the ones still living there," Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski, a Pentagon analyst, told Sputnik.
Biden's declaration came as officials also confirmed Washington was delivering the first batch of Bradley combat vehicles to Ukraine. Officials noted about 60 Bradley vehicles had been delivered from South Carolina. To date, the US has provided Ukraine with $27.1 billion worth of security assistance since the start of Russia's special military operation, which will mark one year in February.