US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that, although Ukraine has succeeded in recapturing more than half of the territory occupied by Russia, it still faces a very tough battle for the rest of the territory, writes Reuters.
Blinken said in an interview with CNN: “It’s already taken back about 50% of what was initially seized.” He added that the counteroffensive was still in its initial stage and would not produce results for the next week or two.
In June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the counterattack was proceeding slower than planned. The Ukrainians managed to recover some villages in the south of the country, and the territory around the destroyed Bakhmut in the east, but so far they have not managed to break through the Russian defense lines.
Asked if Ukraine would receive the US-made F-16 fighter jets, Blinken was confirmative
and said the most important thing is to ensure that when the Ukrainians get them, they are appropriately trained, and able to use the aircraft wisely. The 11-nation joint training is scheduled to begin in August in Denmark, and a training base will also be established in Romania.
Ukraine has long asked for the Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets, but Jake Sullivan, the US president’s national security adviser, said in June that Washington had not yet made a final decision. US officials estimate it will take about a year and a half to complete the training and deliver the aircraft.
Since February 2022, the United States has provided military aid to Ukraine in the amount of more than 41 billion dollars.