Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has expressed its desire to obtain F-16 aircraft, but so far this has not been the priority in military aid to the country.
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A group of US military officials have been lobbying the Pentagon for the US to send F-16 jets to Ukraine, the US newspaper Politico reports, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter.
As that newspaper recalls, Ukraine has expressed its desire to obtain F-16 aircraft since the beginning of the war, but until now that has not been the priority in military aid to the country.
Now, at a time when Ukraine intends to launch a new offensive against the Russians to regain territory in the spring, this desire to seize F-16s is once again gaining strength within the Pentagon.
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On the other hand, the fact that in recent weeks kyiv has received Patriot anti-missile systems and Leopard-2 tanks — weapons whose shipment to Ukraine until recently was not in the West’s plans — raises hopes that kyiv will come to receive the planes.
Speaking to Politico, a Pentagon official said he did not believe the United States would oppose the deployment of the F-16s, although kyiv has yet to explicitly state the request.
Source: Observadora