The Netherlands and Denmark mentioned Sunday that they might donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine — the primary nations to take action — in what President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine mentioned was a breakthrough in his nation’s quest to accumulate the plane thought of crucial within the battle in opposition to Russia.
The acquisition of American-made F-16’s to complement a fleet of Soviet-era jets has been a precedence for Mr. Zelensky’s authorities for months because it seeks benefit over Russia’s air pressure and in addition to enhance its personal air defenses. Ukrainian officers acknowledged final week, nevertheless, that NATO nations wouldn’t donate the planes earlier than subsequent 12 months, which is simply too late to be used in a counteroffensive the federal government in Kyiv launched this summer time.
President Biden, setting apart months of resistance, mentioned in Could that NATO nations may practice Ukrainian pilots on F-16’s, and on Thursday a U.S. official mentioned that the US would enable allies to ship the jets.
Talking throughout a go to to the Netherlands, Mr. Zelensky mentioned that the Netherlands would donate 42 jets as soon as Ukrainian pilots and engineers had been skilled.
“A breakthrough settlement. From at the moment, there are already specifics. They are going to be within the Ukrainian sky. Thanks, Netherlands,” he mentioned on the Telegram social messaging app. “The planes we are going to use to maintain Russian terrorists away from Ukrainian cities and villages.”
He posted a selfie taken with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands standing in entrance of one of many jets however gave few specifics in regards to the subsequent step within the course of. In what gave the impression to be a coordinated transfer, Denmark’s Protection Ministry mentioned in a press release on Sunday that it, too, would donate F-16’s to Ukraine.
F-16’s would improve the nation’s ground-launched air defenses, that are used to combat off Russian missile assaults and will additionally act as a deterrent to Moscow in the long term as a result of they might erase its aerial superiority.