The Netherlands will give Ukraine F-16 fighters
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Ukraine and the Netherlands have agreed to supply Kyiv with F-16 fighters, which was previously approved by the US authorities. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in the Netherlands today and met with Prime Minister Mark Rutte there.
F16. Breakthrough deal. From now on, it’s specific. Will be in the Ukrainian sky. Thanks Netherlands! Thanks Marco! Thanks to everyone who helps!” Zelensky wrote in his Telegram channel.
Zelensky earlier today, August 20, said that he had arrived in the Netherlands with his wife and team. He called the supply of F-16s for Ukraine the main topic of negotiations with Rutte.
On August 18, Reuters, citing an unnamed US official, reported that Washington had approved the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Kyiv will be able to take advantage of “new opportunities” after completing pilot training.
The next day, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that Ukrainian pilots and technicians had already started to training on American fighters. At the same time, he confirmed that the training period for pilots is at least six months, urging “not to be upset” if in reality it turns out to be longer.
At the May summit of the leaders of the G7 countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan) in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, an agreement was announced to supply fourth-generation American-made F-16 fighter jets to Kiev. The Pentagon said that the European coalition to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 will be led by Denmark and the Netherlands.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at a plenary session SPIEF) said that in the case of deliveries to Ukraine, F-16 fighters would burn in the same way as Leopard tanks. The Kremlin previously said that this assistance to Kyiv would not change the situation on the line of contact. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov promised a military-technical response in the event of an F-16 appearing in the sky of Ukraine.
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