The Netherlands and Denmark will supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine for the first delivery of which will take place early next year, the premiers of the two NATO countries said on Sunday during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The plan will be the first realization of a promise by Western countries to deliver F-16s to Ukraine and comes days after the United States agreed to deliver the fighter jets by the two European countries.
Zelenskyy called the decision a “breakthrough”. He said the fighter jets would help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and assist Ukraine’s retaliatory strikes against Russian troops.
Denmark will deliver 19 F-16s, of which the first six will be delivered to Ukraine around New Year’s Eve, eight in 2024 and five the following year, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
“We know that your freedom is our freedom. We also know that you need more weapons,” Frederiksen told a joint news conference with Zelenskyy at Skrydstrup airbase in Denmark.
“This is why we announced that we will donate 19 F-16 fighter jets,” he said.
The Netherlands has 42 F-16s ready for Ukraine but has not decided whether all of them will be donated, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Sunday when Zelenskyy visited the country.
For months, the Netherlands and Denmark trained Ukrainian pilots in flying the F-16. They eventually sent the fighter jets to help counter Russian air superiority which has invaded Ukraine since February 2022.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said Saturday training of Ukrainian pilots had already started, but it would take at least six months and possibly longer to train the technicians. and mechanics of this fighter.
Frederiksen said about 70 Ukrainian military officers had arrived in Denmark for training. Officials from the 11-nation coalition said the training would take place in Denmark and Romania.
Ukraine said dozens of its pilots would be trained to fly the fighter, but it was not clear how many of them had arrived in Denmark.
Both the Netherlands and Denmark have F-16s ready to donate as the armed forces of these two countries are transitioning to using the newer F-35 fighter.
Last Saturday, Zelenskyy was in Sweden to discuss the possibility of obtaining Gripen fighter jet assistance.
Source : Antara News
