Europe does not rule out the possibility that Ukraine may receive F-16 fighter jets as early as this autumn.

Asked if it is realistic for Ukraine to get F-16 jets by the autumn, a senior defence official in Central Europe said: "I think it is," according to Politico, citing statements by officials from Central and Eastern Europe.

In addition, a diplomat from Eastern Europe answered the same question: "Why not?"

Yurii Sak, advisor to Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, has suggested that the Netherlands could be the first to provide Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets.

Prior to that, US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said that the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would take "a few months at best".

Last week, the United Kingdom announced the launch of an international coalition of countries aimed at training Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including the F-16s. The coalition already includes the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, the United States and Portugal.