The timeline reflects the disconnect between Ukraine’s supporters, who envision F-16s as a key tool in the country’s long-term defense, and Kyiv, which has desperately requested that the jets reach the battle space as soon as possible, viewing them as critical for the current fight against occupying Russian forces.

But after the start of training was pushed back several times, Ukraine will now probably have to endure another year without the fighters, which officials in Kyiv have predicted would provide a significant military edge amid a slow-going counteroffensive and help better protect civilians against Russia’s regular missile and drone strikes.

It also highlights divisions among those backers themselves, as a small number of European allies pushes to give Ukraine maximum capabilities for its defense and the Biden administration, by far the largest donor of military gear, cautiously weighs next steps.

They describe the aircraft as a tool that, rather than altering the battlefield calculus in Ukraine’s current operation in the country’s east and south, will play a prominent role in Kyiv’s transformation into a well-armed regional power that can effectively deter Russia.

He cited ongoing U.S. security aid since Russia’s February 2022 invasion — which now exceeds $40 billion, including missiles, mine-clearing equipment and air defenses — and said the United States would support its allies in attempting to get the F-16 training underway as quickly as possible.

At a NATO leaders’ summit in July, Danish and Dutch officials announced that nine other countries — Britain, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden — were on board and that training would start in August.

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