Denmark on June 18 announced its 19th assistance package for Ukraine, including financial aid for Ukraine's defense industry, equipment for F-16 fighter jets, and donations from Danish military stocks.
The U.S. is "deliberately delaying" F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots, resulting in a situation where there will be "fewer trained pilots than fighter jets," Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova said to the Times in an article published on June 17.
With the gradual arrival of military aid, including the first batch of F-16 fighter jets, time will favor Ukraine, while Russia's chances of success will decrease, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on June 17.
The recent string of Ukrainian strikes against occupied Crimea may help degrade Russian air defenses in the area and decrease the threat to Ukrainian tactical aviation, said Federico Borsari, a Leonardo Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), in a comment for the Kyiv Independent on June 12.
The Netherlands will deliver its first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine already this summer, shortly after Denmark, outgoing Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said in an interview with European Pravda published on June 12.
Key developments on June 10: * Ukraine hit Russian S-400, S-300 systems in occupied Crimea overnight, General Staff says * Ukraine refutes Kadyrov's claims about captured Sumy Oblast border village * Russia uses submarines to patrol Black Sea after naval losses, military says * Nearly 20,000 Wagner mercenaries died taking Bakhmut, media investigation
A number of F-16 fighter jets donated by Western allies to Ukraine will be stationed at air bases abroad, Serhii Holubtsov, a top officer at the Air Force Command, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) published on June 9.
Over the past several weeks, Kyiv has officially requested that the U.S. train the additional pilots at the Tucson facility. The U.S. has not granted the request, citing committments to other nations in line for F-16 training at the base.
The comments come a day after Denmark said Ukraine may use Danish-supplied F-16 jets to strike military targets in Russian territory, as this would be "within the rules of war."
Key developments on May 30: * Ukraine hit 4 Russian patrol boats in occupied Crimea overnight, military intelligence says * Ukraine hits Russian ferry crossing with ATACMS in Crimea, General Staff says * Politico: Biden quietly allows Ukraine to strike Russia with US arms but 'solely near Kharkiv' * Ukraine can use Danish-supplied F-16s
Ukraine can use F-16 jets to strike military targets in Russian territory, as this would be "within the rules of war," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on May 30.
Russia has 500,000 troops in Ukraine and near its borders and is preparing to involve another 200,000-300,000, aiming to "open a new front in the north to start using all their manpower, firing power," Umerov said.
"We have been urged by the other countries in the coalition to wait with the Gripen system," Defense Minister Pal Jonson told TT in Brussels, adding: "This has to do with the fact that the focus is now on introducing the F-16 system."
"Everything which is covered by this agreement... is for the utilization by the Ukrainian defense forces on Ukrainian territory," Prime Minister Alexander De Croo responded to a journalist's question about whether Ukraine will be able to use Belgian F-16 jets to down Russian jets in Russian airspace.
The announcement accompanies news that President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Belgium on May 28 to sign a bilateral security agreement.
"The war in Ukraine has shown how important it is to be able to hit targets located even very far from the front line," the Polish Defense Ministry said.
Belgium will become the 11th country to sign such an accord with Ukraine, following Spain, the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Canada,the Netherlands, Finland, and Latvia.
Key updates on May 24: * General Staff: Russian troops halted in Kharkiv sector, Ukraine conducts counterattacks * Putin looking for ceasefire to cement gains in Ukraine, Reuters reports citing sources * Attack on occupied Crimea damages communications equipment, casualties reported, partisans claim * First group of Ukrainian pilots passes F-16 training in US
The aviators will now move to Europe for additional training, Politico wrote, citing an undisclosed source.
Ten Ukrainian soldiers completed training for the F-16 aircraft maintenance in the Netherlands, the Dutch Defense Ministry announced on May 21.
The Evening Standard's source did not reveal which of the allies will be the first one to deliver the planes.
Key developments on May 6: * Ukraine destroys Russian fast attack craft in occupied Crimea * Syrskyi: Russia trying to break through defenses to reach Kurakhove, Pokrovsk * Russia threatens UK military installations, equipment "in Ukraine and abroad" after Cameron's remarks * Netherlands to begin F-16 aircraft deliveries to Ukraine in autumn * Minister: Ukraine
The Netherlands plans to start delivering its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this autumn after Denmark begins transferring its aircraft already in the summer, Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren said during a press briefing in Vilnius, Delfi reported on May 6.
"In coordination with our partners in the F-16 coalition, our country will make every effort to speed up deliveries, if possible, by the end of this year," Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said.
Russia has been steadily adapting its defensive capabilities to counter new Western weapons as they arrive, unnamed Ukrainian military officials told Politico.
Belgian Ministers Council approved the 25th assistance package for Ukraine, including 100 million euros ($107 million) for F-16 service through the international "fighter jet coalition," Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced on March 29.
In early 2024, Ukraine signed seven agreements with allied countries that span for the next decade, aiming to guarantee Ukraine’s security while negotiating NATO membership. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s diplomatic adviser, Ukraine is negotiating 10 more bilateral deals. The biggest question is whether the deals can prevent
According to the U.K. Defense Ministry's report, the cohort completed basic training and will move to advanced flying training provided by the French Air Force before learning to fly F-16 fighter jets.
Europe needs to make great strides in increasing the capacity of its defense industry, and can only do this by working together within the EU and with Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren told the Kyiv Independent on March 20. The ammunition initiative, launched by Czechia in February amid increasingly
The Netherlands will procure 150 million euros ($164 million) worth of munitions for Ukraine’s F-16 jets, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren announced on March 20.
Ukraine can expect to receive the first batch of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets from Denmark already this summer, the Danish Defense Ministry announced on Feb. 22.
The first four Ukrainian pilots are scheduled to complete U.S.-led training on F-16 fighter jets by this summer, CNN reported on Feb. 20.
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American air superiority fighter that Kyiv has requested from its allies since the start of the full-scale invasion. Denmark and the Netherlands founded the "fighter jet coalition" for Ukraine on July 11, 2023 at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania with nine other countries: Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
These countries pledged to help provide Kyiv with F-16s and train Ukrainian pilots and technical staff to operate the jets. Washington gave its approval in August 2023 to the Netherlands and Denmark to donate their F-16s to Ukraine after training was complete, and agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots in Arizona from October 2023.
Kyiv has been promised 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium, with the first 20 reportedly scheduled to arrive by the end of 2024. Belgium will supply Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028.
