US delays the transfer of F-16 jets to Ukraine: expert names the reason

The delay in the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine may be the fault of the United States. The reason is the White House's attempt to "be ready for" a possible escalation from Russia.

This opinion was expressed by Oleksii Melnyk, co-director of foreign policy programs, coordinator of international projects at the Razumkov Center, and military expert in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA. "As for the F-16, with all the gratitude to our American partners, there is an opinion that to a certain extent this delay is also the fault of the United States," the expert said.

Thus, according to Melnyk, White House security advisers may view the transfer of F-16 jets to Ukraine as a kind of provocation of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. "First of all, they are afraid of the use of tactical nuclear weapons, and this is not without reason. The Russians repeatedly say about it," the expert said.

At the same time, he emphasized that F-16 jets will not be a tool that will change the course of the war.

According to Melnyk, the long training of Ukrainian pilots for F-16 control is fully justified as it consists of several mandatory stages.

"After completing theoretical retraining, the pilots first conduct test flights with instructors, and then the tasks gradually become more complicated. At first, it's takeoff and landing, navigation, piloting, i.e. preparation for combat use of the aircraft. Combat use also occurs as it becomes more complex," he explained.

At the same time, the expert warned that, according to his estimates, the transfer of about a hundred of these fighters to Ukraine, which were announced by the allies, is unlikely to take place by the end of 2024.

Read the full version of the interview with Oleksii Melnyk on OBOZ.UA soon .