Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the planned deliveries of F-16 fighter jets by the Netherlands and Denmark as “historic”. “The F-16 will give fighters and ordinary citizens new confidence and motivation,” Zelenskyj said on Twitter Monday night (X). The fighter jets would help protect Ukrainian cities from Russian attacks.
According to the president’s office in Kiev, the Netherlands and Denmark had previously agreed to deliver a total of 61 fighter jets. “They will bring new results for Ukraine and the rest of Europe,” Zelenskyj said after a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. After a visit to both countries, the Ukrainian president, who himself boarded a jet in Denmark, thanked the Netherlands for the delivery of 42 and Denmark 19 American-type jet fighters.
Ukraine hopes to control its own airspace
Together with the anti-aircraft guns already supplied by the West, Ukraine sees them as part of a protective shield against Russian attacks. Kiev hopes to regain control of its own airspace. Ukraine also wants to use the planes to break through Russian defenses in the occupied territories in the east and south of the country. There, the troops on the ground are making slow progress in their counter-offensive, partly because of the minefields.
Jets arrive later than hoped
Around the turn of the year – later than hoped – the Ukraine will receive its first F-16. The fighter jets will be delivered once the Ukrainian pilots have completed their training on the machines. According to Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen, 70 Ukrainian pilots are currently being trained on F-16 fighter jets in Denmark. Zelenskyj stressed in a statement that they are in the process of accelerating the training.
A coalition led by the two countries formed within NATO over the summer to train Ukrainian pilots to use the F-16. Belgium and Norway are also considered possible suppliers of the American jets. Initially, however, the delivery of F-16s to the US, where the aircraft were developed, failed. However, Washington has recently paved the way for supplies from third countries.
So far no response from Russia
There was initially no reaction from Russia to the news that Selenskyj described as a breakthrough. However, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had previously warned of the risk of further escalation of violence in the war, in view of the discussion in the West about the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine. The military leadership in Moscow had also made it clear that they would not allow arms supplies from the West to prevent them from pursuing their war goals in Ukraine.
Source: Krone
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