Russia: Supplying F-16s to Ukraine would be a 'colossal' risk for West

US President Joe Biden told G7 leaders on Friday that Washington supports joint allied training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s, senior US officials said.

 An F-16 fighter jet belonging to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) performs to commemorate Pakistan Air Force's 'Operation Swift Retort', following the shot down of Indian military aircrafts on February 27, 2019 in Kashmir, during an air show in Karachi, Pakistan February 27, 2020.  (photo credit: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO)
An F-16 fighter jet belonging to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) performs to commemorate Pakistan Air Force's 'Operation Swift Retort', following the shot down of Indian military aircrafts on February 27, 2019 in Kashmir, during an air show in Karachi, Pakistan February 27, 2020.
(photo credit: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO)

Western countries will be running "colossal risks" if they supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, TASS news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko as saying on Saturday.

Grushko was responding to a question about the implications of providing the jets, which Ukraine has been requesting from NATO countries.

It has not yet won commitments to deliver the planes, but US President Joe Biden told G7 leaders on Friday that Washington supports joint allied training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s, senior US officials said.

"We see that Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario. It involves colossal risks for themselves," Grushko was quoted as saying.

"In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve the goals we have set."