US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, despite renewed calls from Ukrainian officials for urgent air support.

US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, despite renewed calls from Ukrainian officials for urgent air support. Asked by a reporter on Monday if the US would be providing the planes, Biden simply replied no. His comment comes a day after Germany’s leader also ruled out sending jets. Ukraine has long been pushing its allies to send advanced war planes to help Kyiv take control of its airspace in its ongoing war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s top military officials say there should be no taboos on such military aid but the US and its partners fear this would lead to further escalation with a nuclear-armed Russia. US-made F-16 Fighting Falcons are widely considered one of the world’s most reliable fighter jets and are used by other countries, such as Belgium and Pakistan.