The United States has granted approval for the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine from the Netherlands and Denmark, an announcement made by officials from both countries. This decision finally fulfills Ukraine’s longstanding request for advanced warplanes.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed his approval for the transfer in a letter addressed to Dutch and Danish leaders. While Denmark and the Netherlands technically own the aircraft, it is crucial for Washington to provide approval for their delivery, as the planes are manufactured in the United States.
This marks a significant advancement for Ukraine, which has been seeking the inclusion of these jets since the start of the war over a year ago.
On Friday, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra expressed his appreciation to Blinken for the prompt and collaborative efforts leading to the approval of the jets.
“This development is a major milestone for Ukraine, allowing them to protect their people and their nation,” Hoekstra wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
While further details are yet to be revealed, this decision now paves the way for the two European countries to dispatch these highly sought-after fighter jets to Ukraine. However, it may take several months for the aircraft to be delivered and put into action, as Ukrainian pilots require training on the F-16s. Nevertheless, this accelerates the deployment timeline, avoiding the anticipated delay until spring or summer.
Danish officials will transfer the F-16s once they receive more advanced F-35 aircraft this fall. The initial batch of four F-35s is expected to be delivered by October 1st.
U.S. officials had previously argued that the F-16s were unnecessary in the ongoing phase of the conflict with Russia, dismissing multiple requests from Kyiv since early 2022.
Ukraine currently operates outdated Soviet-era airplanes and finds itself outmatched by Russia in the aerial domain. Ukrainian authorities have expressed the belief that these advanced aircraft could potentially shift the balance in their favor during their gradual counteroffensive in the southeastern region.
In May, President Biden announced that European allies would provide training for Ukrainian pilots on the fighter jets, signaling a reversal in the previous stance. At a significant NATO summit in July, a coalition of 11 allies agreed to commence the training of Ukrainian pilots in August, which is expected to commence shortly.
Danish Defense Minister Kasja Ollongren stated on Friday that the U.S. approval now “enables us to proceed with the training of Ukrainian pilots.”
“We maintain close communication with our European partners to determine the next steps,” Ollongren wrote on X.
The Associated Press contributed.
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