During the G7 summit in Japan, US President Joe Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that the US, along with its partners, was going to launch a training program for Ukraine’s military pilots on the fourth generation fighter aircraft including F-16s. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Saturday that the time was yet not right for Kiev to have F-16s, adding that the US and its allies were going to decide which countries would supply these aircraft to Kiev and in what number.
"The entire range of weapons, military equipment, which is under discussion, one way or another will end up in Ukraine. The same applies to the training of military personnel of the Ukrainian armed forces. These efforts are completely useless and meaningless: our capabilities are such that all the goals of the military operation will certainly be achieved, and no infringement on Russia's security will lead to the results sought for by the West," Ryabkov told reporters.
Western countries have been supplying military aid to Ukraine since the start of hostilities in February 2022. The aid evolved from artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023.
The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.