Joe Biden has ruled out sending the F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine has requested in its ongoing war with Russia. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Mr Biden was asked if the US would supply the jets, to which he replied "no".

On Friday, an advisor to Ukraine's defence minister said that Ukraine planned to push for fourth -generation fighter jets such as the F-16.

Yuriy Sak, who advises Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, told Reuters that securing the jets was the next "hurdle" for Kyiv.

Last week Ukraine received a huge boost when the US promised to send Abhams to Kyiv while Germany also agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks after considerably diplomatic pressure.

However, according to Reuters, the hundreds of tanks that Western nations have pledged to send to Ukraine are still months away from delivery.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Western countries to speed up the delivery of the weaponry.

There are fears that without the new weapons Ukraine will be unable to launch a successful counteroffensive.

The US-based Institute for the Study of War think-tank has argued that "the West's failure to provide the necessary materiel" last year is the main reason that Ukrainian advances have halted since last November.


They also argued that Ukraine would be able to recapture territory currently under Russian control once the weapons arrived.

Mr Biden's comments came shortly after Mr Zelensky argued that Russia was exacting revenge for Ukraine's continued resistance to its ongoing invasion.

Zelensky has been warning for weeks that Russia was planning an assault after two months of virtual stalemate.

Speaking to reporters in Odessa, Mr Zelensky said that the Russian attacks had already begun.