G7 agrees on Ukraine jets, China 'economic coercion' statement

France's President Emmanuel Macron, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden walk before an economic security meeting during the G7 summit, at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan, May 20, 2023. [AP Photo]

The United States and its allies are planning to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and train Ukrainian pilots to fly them, the White House said Friday, a turnaround from President Joe Biden's monthslong refusal of requests from his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the aircraft.

In a statement provided to VOA, a senior administration official said on Friday Biden informed G-7 leaders that the United States will support a joint effort with allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-16s, to further strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian air force.