Italian Prime Minister indicates Italy might join “fighter jet coalition”

Italy might join international efforts to train Ukrainian pilots using modern fighter jets, but it is unable to give F-16s to Ukraine as it does not have any in its possession. Source: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a press conference following the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan Details: Meloni stressed that Italy did not have any F-16 fighter jets in its possession, and so was unlikely to be able to help provide Ukraine with the jets.

However, she said, Italy was considering the possibility of helping to train Ukrainian pilots and though a decision has not been approved yet, Italy was discussing this possibility with its partners.

The Italian Air Force operates Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and AMX International light attack aircraft. Background: In February, media reported that Italy was considering the possibility of giving some of the fighter jets from its fleet to Ukraine, but only after other countries take similar steps. Following a meeting on Tuesday, 17 May, on the sidelines of the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik, the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands agreed to facilitate the creation of an international coalition to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.

As part of the effort, Ukrainian pilots will be trained on fourth-generation fighter jets, including the F-16s.

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So far, the "fighter jet coalition" comprises the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, the US, and Portugal. The White House also confirmed that in the coming months, the US and its allies will discuss when Ukraine will receive modern fighter jets, and how many of these will be delivered.

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