Sen. Kelly watches Ukrainian pilots training on U.S. jets

(The Center Square) — U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, has returned from a trip to Romania, where he sought to strengthen the NATO alliance and show support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.

Kelly, a Navy combat veteran and former astronaut, met with American service members stationed near the Black Sea and witnessed Ukrainian pilots training on U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Kelly, who was a Navy pilot during the Gulf War, said he will relay to Washington what he observed.

“I traveled to Romania to stand with our strongest NATO allies and to see firsthand how they’re helping Ukraine defend itself against Putin’s illegal invasion,” said Kelly in a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The F-16 training operation they stood up in their country is making a real difference on the battlefield in Ukraine and is a testament to the importance of strong alliances," Kelly said.

Kelly also applauded Romania for its efforts.

“From training Ukrainian pilots to strengthening defenses along the Black Sea, Romania is stepping up in a way that makes all of us stronger,” said Kelly.

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Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The death count for both countries varies by website, and not all the people killed are military service members.

“The war in Ukraine is becoming increasingly deadly for civilians,” said Danielle Bell, head of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, in a late June 2025 article on the UN website.

Kelly has long been an advocate for providing Ukraine with F-16s. In addition to witnessing this training effort, Kelly watched Ukrainian pilots training in November 2022 with the 162nd Wing in Tucson, Arizona.

“In Ukraine’s fight for freedom, Arizona has played an important role by serving as a training base for Ukrainian pilots, and it was exciting to see the support we’re providing in action,” said Kelly, who also flew an F-16 during the 2022 event. “The F-16 will bring important new capabilities to Ukraine’s air defense, and there is no better place to train Ukrainian pilots than Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson.”

In 2023, Kelly was part of a bipartisan group that traveled to Ukraine for talks with officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“For the sake of democracy, freedom, and our vital national security interests, Putin must lose this war,” said Kelly in April 2023.