Washington: Politico reported on Friday, citing sources, that Western efforts to train Ukrainian pilots to fly cutting-edge F-16 jets are being hampered by the service members' poor English language abilities.
An initial group of eight Ukrainian pilots who are proficient in English are prepared to begin training, according to a US official and a person with knowledge of the situation contacted by the outlet. This will happen once a formal training plan has been developed by several European countries and approved by the US.
Politico reported that "English proficiency remains a sticking point" with the remaining 32 Ukrainian pilots who are supposed to receive training on the F-16 fighter jets. 20 employees with rudimentary English will reportedly begin language classes in Britain this month as a result.
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For months, Kiev has been pleading with its Western backers for F-16 fighters, claiming that doing so will enable it to "win the war" with Russia. Washington, however, does not concur with this viewpoint. According to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the aircraft would have a minimal impact in Ukraine due to the widespread use of air defence systems.
However, the UK and the Netherlands announced a "international coalition" in mid-May to support Ukraine in purchasing the US-made jets, with a total of 11 NATO nations joining in, including the US. The instruction campaign will start this month, according to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, while Dmitry Kuleba, the foreign minister, predicted last month that the first fighter jets would enter the troubled nation in early 2024.
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The US and its allies may not have reached an agreement on who exactly would train Ukrainian pilots or where the instruction would take place, according to a recent Politico report, which suggests that efforts to lay the groundwork for the deliveries appeared to encounter a number of roadblocks.
Another report from the same source stated that requests for the transfer of instruction manuals, flight simulators, and other materials were still pending and that European countries had not received formal approval from Washington on the subject.
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Russian officials have repeatedly warned the West that arming Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets would escalate the conflict; foreign minister Sergey Lavrov even suggested that the US-built aircraft might be able to carry nuclear weapons.