Netherlands, Denmark commit to giving F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine
Timeline for handover of aircraft in Ukraine's war with Russia isn't known
The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday that they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, in a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for its forces, which are embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive.
The timeline depends on how soon Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are ready for the powerful U.S.-made jets, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Zelenskyy as the two visited a Dutch airbase.
Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge. It recently launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against the Kremlin's forces without air cover, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.
Zelenskyy welcomed the ''historic'' announcement and praised Rutte for making the Netherlands the first country to offer the planes. The announcement came minutes after the two leaders inspected two grey F-16 jets parked in a hangar at the Dutch base in the southern city of Eindhoven.
The Ukrainian leader later travelled to Denmark, where he met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said her country will donate 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The two held a joint news conference at Denmark's Skrydstrup airbase.
Denmark calls its support unwavering
Frederiksen said "hopefully" six of the jets could be delivered around the new year, eight more next year and the remaining five in 2025. "Please take this donation as a token of Denmark's unwavering support for your country's fight for freedom," the Danish prime minister said.
Neither the Dutch nor the Danes spelled out when they would hand over the planes, but Rutte said he hoped it would be soon — although he didn't say how many aircraft the Netherlands would donate to boost the Ukrainian war effort.
"The F-16s will not help immediately now with the war effort. It is anyway a long-term commitment from the Netherlands," the Dutch leader said. "We want them to be active and operational as soon as possible.... Not for the next month, that's impossible, but hopefully soon afterward."
Zelenskyy called the announcement a powerful message to his forces.
''F16 will certainly give new energy, confidence and motivation to fighters and civilians. I'm sure it will deliver new results for Ukraine and the entire Europe,'' he said.
The Dutch and Danish governments are also involved in a coalition that is working to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the advanced fighter jets.
Pilot training starting this month
Zelenskyy declined to say how many Ukrainian pilots would undergo training in Denmark and later in Romania, citing security reasons. However, Denmark said Friday that the training is starting this month.
Officials have previously said that Ukrainian pilots will need six to eight months of training.
On Friday, the Netherlands and Denmark said the United States had authorized them to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine. Washington's approval was seen as a major boost for Kyiv, even though the fighter jets won't have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war.
Washington said the F-16s — like the advanced U.S. Abrams tanks — will be crucial in the long term as Kyiv faces down Russia.
Ukraine has been relying on older aircraft, such as Russian-made MiG-29 and Sukhoi jets. F-16s have newer technology and targeting capabilities. They are also more versatile, experts say.
In a video message earlier Sunday, Zelenskyy vowed a stern retaliation for a Russian missile strike the previous day in the centre of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv that killed seven people and wounded more than 100 others.