Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the Dutch as well as Danish “historic” decision to supply US-made F-16 warplanes to Kyiv as it seeks greater firepower from allies against Russian invaders.
Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday hailed on a visit to the Netherlands a “historic” decision to supply F-16 fighter jets to strengthen Ukraine’s Soviet-era air force.
It came two days after the United States approved the transfer to Ukraine of Dutch as well as Danish US-made warplanes, a key demand by Kyiv as it seeks greater firepower from allies during a grinding counteroffensive against Russia.
Zelensky landed at a Dutch airforce base in Eindhoven where dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte rubber-stamped the deliveries, saying: “The Netherlands and Denmark commit to transfer F-16s to Ukraine once the conditions for such a transfer have been met.”
The decision is “absolutely historic, powerful and inspiring for us,” Zelensky said at a press conference with Rutte. “This is another step towards strengthening Ukraine’s air shield.”
The Dutch and the Danes are leading a plan to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the US-made aircraft as part of an 11-nation coalition, with training potentially achieved by early 2024.
Washington has strict rules on the sale or transfer of US military equipment by its allies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow will regard Western F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a “nuclear” threat because of their capacity to carry atomic weapons.
Zelensky was in Sweden on Saturday, finalizing with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson the production of СV90 armored vehicles in Ukraine and Ukrainian pilots participating in test trials of Swedish Gripen fighter jets.
Georges Haddad, with AFP
