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Norway supports the push for joint training programs for Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 jets. This follows the endorsement by the United States for the training programs with Ukraine, assuring that the jets will not be used to enter Russian territory.
On Wednesday, Norwegian defense minister Bjoern Arrild Gram said that Oslo is willing to support the initiative of joint training programs for Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16s. Gram added that the Norwegian government is also considering how to provide more support along with Ukraine’s allies and partners. Separately, Gram told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that Oslo has yet to decide whether to provide Ukraine with any of its F-16s.
This follows the endorsement by US President Joe Biden on Friday last week of the joint training programs for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 jets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has assured that the jets would not be used to make incursions into Russian territory.
On Thursday, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, said that Washington has long asked Ukraine not to use US weapons inside Russian territory. Milley’s comments follow Moscow’s accusations that pro-Ukrainian militia were using US armored vehicles. Milley added that his office was looking into the photos that showed the vehicles that were allegedly used in the cross-border incursion in Russia’s Belgorod region.
However, Milley said that the US position against the use of US equipment in Russia was clear to Ukraine.
On the same day, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that Washington condemns the agreement between Russia and Belarus to formally deploy Russian tactical missiles into Belarusian territory. Despite the deployment of weapons, Miller added that there was still no reason to adjust its nuclear posture.
“It’s the latest example of irresponsible behavior that we have seen from Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over a year ago,” said Miller, reiterating the US warning that using chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons in the war would have “severe consequences.” Miller did not specify what consequences there would be should there have been such use in the war.
Photo: Chandler Cruttenden / Unsplash (CC by 2.0)
