EINDHOVEN/
COPEHAGEN:
The Netherlands and Denmark will provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine with first deliveries due round New Yr, the prime ministers of the 2 NATO international locations introduced on Sunday throughout visits by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy.
The pledge is the primary actual promise of F-16’s for Ukraine’s armed forces and comes a couple of days after the USA authorized the potential supply of the fighter jets by the 2 international locations.
Zelenskiy referred to as the choice a “breakthrough settlement” and mentioned the planes would assist strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and assist its counter-offensive towards Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Denmark will ship 19 jets in whole, with the primary six attributable to be shipped to Ukraine round New Yr, adopted by eight in 2024 and 5 the next yr, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen mentioned.
“We all know that your freedom is our freedom. We additionally know that you just want extra” weapons, Frederiksen mentioned throughout a joint press convention with Zelenskiy within the Skrydstrup airbase in Denmark.
“Because of this we’re asserting that we’re donating 19 F-16 fighter jets,” she mentioned.
The Netherlands has 42 F-16s accessible in all however has but to determine whether or not all of them will probably be donated, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte mentioned earlier on Sunday, when Zelenskiy visited the nation.
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The Netherlands and Denmark have led a months-long push to coach Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16’s and to in the end ship the jets to assist counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Saturday mentioned coaching had begun for Ukrainian pilots, however it will take at the least six months and probably longer to additionally practice engineers and mechanics.
Frederiksen mentioned over 70 Ukrainian navy officers had arrived in Denmark for coaching. Officers from a coalition of 11 nations have mentioned coaching will happen in Denmark and Romania.
Ukraine has mentioned it expects a number of dozens of pilots to be skilled. It was unclear what number of pilots had arrived in Denmark.
Each the Netherlands and Denmark have F-16s accessible to donate as their armed forces are transitioning to newer F-35 fighters.
On Saturday, Zelenskiy was in Sweden, the place he mentioned the potential of receiving Gripen jets.