Biden rules out sending F-16 jets to Ukraine ‘for now’

ANKARA

US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine “for now.”

In an interview with ABC News on Friday, Biden said: “Look, we're sending him what our seasoned military thinks he needs now. He needs tanks, he needs artillery, he needs air defense, including another HIMARS.”

“There's things he needs now that we're sending him to put them in a position to be able to make gains this spring and this summer going into the fall,” he added, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy.

Asked about the potential provision of F-16s to Ukraine, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday that "F-16s are not a question for the short-term fight. F-16s are a question for the long-term defense of Ukraine."

This week, Biden traveled to Ukraine to meet with Zelenskyy.