Zelensky arrives in Denmark for F-16 talks

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Denmark on Aug. 20 to discuss the delivery of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Zelensky said he would meet Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the Danish royal family, party leaders, parliament members, and local businessmen.

“We are preparing additional good news for Ukrainian warriors. We are moving forward with the F-16 issue,” Zelensky said in a Telegram post following the arrival.

The trip follows Zelensky's meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. The president announced during the visit to the Netherlands that Ukraine would receive 42 F-16 fighters in a “breakthrough agreement.”

The Netherlands and Denmark said they would transfer aircraft to Ukraine when the “conditions are met.” The Danish Defense Ministry specified on Aug. 20 that the conditions include, but are not limited to, successfully selected, tested, and trained Ukrainian F-16 personnel and necessary authorizations, infrastructure, and logistics.

The Netherlands and Denmark confirmed on Aug. 18 they had received approval from the U.S. to hand over F-16s from their arsenal to Ukraine after pilots and engineers are trained.

Kyiv has been lobbying the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine since the spring of 2022 to counter Russia's air superiority.

The F-16's superiority over Soviet fighter jets used by the Ukrainian and Russian air forces lies in its advanced design and capabilities developed in the 1970s, allowing for enhanced performance, agility, and versatility in combat situations.

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Aug. 19 that Ukrainian pilots, engineers, and technicians had already started a six-month training session for F-16s.

Politico: Eight Ukrainian pilots ready to train on F-16s

The first group of Ukrainian pilots that will participate in F-16 trainings have been identified, Politico reported on Aug. 4.

The Kyiv IndependentRachel Amran