KIEV, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country may receive F-16 fighter jets in the first half of 2024, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Thursday.
"Under the optimistic scenario, I think, it will be the first half of next year," Kuleba said.
The F-16 jets will be delivered to Ukraine after Ukrainian pilots complete the training courses and appropriate infrastructure is arranged, Kuleba said.
Last week, Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said that Ukrainian pilots, currently undergoing simulator training, will start flights with instructors on real F-16 jets in several weeks.
The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium have pledged to transfer F-16 jets to Ukraine to help the country upgrade its combat aircraft fleet amid the conflict with Russia.
