Mariusz Błaszczak made the declaration at a media briefing in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
The Polish defence minister spoke to reporters after a meeting with his counterparts from other European Union countries that focused on further support for Ukraine, according to officials.
The get-together also included a working lunch with the NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, reporters were told.
Błaszczak said: “We are ready to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 aircraft.”
He added: "I proposed that this task be carried out within the framework of the EU's Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM)."
Błaszczak told reporters: “This mission has received very high marks for its performance from EU agencies. It is proof of good preparation on the part of Polish instructors.”
He also said that EUMAM represented “a perfect example of cooperation between EU countries and a chance to reduce the cost of such training.”
On Friday, US President Joe Biden informed fellow Group of Seven (G7) leaders that the United States would allow Western allies to provide American-made F-16s and other advanced fighter jets to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion.
The decision, announced at a G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, marks a major boost for Kyiv’s war effort against Russian aggression, according to news outlets.
Polish maintenance hub for German-made Leopard 2 tanks
Błaszczak told reporters he had held talks in Brussels with Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius about a plan to establish a maintenance facility in Poland for German-made Leopard 2 tanks, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The Polish defence minister said: “We discussed the creation of a hub in Poland for the maintenance of the Leopard 2 tanks already provided to Ukraine. We are facing certain challenges, but I am optimistic that we’ll overcome them.”
Błaszczak said his meeting with Pistorius also focused on “extending the stay of the German-owned Patriot air defence launchers on Polish soil.”
He added: “I am optimistic about this. I believe Minister Pistorius will visit Poland in the near future. We’ll have an opportunity to discuss this issue in detail.”
In April, Poland, Ukraine and Germany agreed to establish a maintenance facility in Poland for Ukraine’s German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks, according to reports at the time.
Tuesday is day 454 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, Polsat News
Click on the audio player above to listen to a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.