Green light from the USA

Soon in service? F-16 jets are now being delivered

Zelenskyi test-flying a Danish F-16 jet (archive photo)

(Bild: AFP/Mads Claus Rasmussen)

Now everything is suddenly happening very quickly! Under the impression of the serious Russian air strikes on Ukraine, the USA has agreed to the transfer of the first F-16 fighter jets. Other countries now also want to act "immediately".

On the sidelines of the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky asked the allies for large numbers of Western fighter jets.

Ukraine hopes to receive the first individual F-16s this summer, but his country, which is under attack from Russia, needs at least 128 fighter jets, said Zelenskyi in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Foundation in Washington.

F-16s are now being delivered
His call has apparently been heard. After a delay of around a year, NATO partners have begun delivering F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, according to the US. "As we speak, the transfer of F-16 aircraft is underway," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington.

It was also announced that Norway would be donating six fighter jets of this type to Ukraine. A coalition led by the Netherlands and Denmark had already promised Kiev the fighter jets last year, but the delivery was continually delayed. Blinken did not say how many aircraft are now on the way. The new Dutch government promised Kiev "immediate" delivery at the weekend.

Selenskyj wants at least 128 jets
According to Ukrainian media reports, Selenskyj came up with an original comparison for the partners' hesitation so far: "You know, we always wait. Just like my mother used to wait for me after school and I always found a reason to come later. It's the same, only much more serious."

The Ukrainian president also complained that the discussion was only ever about ten or 20 planes. "Even if there are 50, that's nothing. They (the Russians) have 300," he said. "Until we have 128 planes, we won't be able to take them on in the sky." He did not give any further details on this figure. The Western allies have so far promised Ukraine fewer than one hundred fighter jets.