The US has approved the transfer of US-made F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine once Ukrainian pilots are fully trained to fly them.
The spokesperson of the US State Department said that in this way, Ukraine can take full advantage of its new capabilities.
Ukraine praised the decision, which it had been pushing for since last year.
But it is hoped that Kyiv will be able to use F-16s to counter Russian air superiority.
The Dutch are believed to have about 24 operational F-16 aircraft that will be taken out of service and replaced by more advanced fighter jets.
Denmark is also planning to upgrade its fleet of 30 F-16s.
The US and its allies have previously refused to provide F-16s to Ukraine, fearing it would further escalate tensions with nuclear-armed Russia.
Russia – which launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – has yet to publicly comment on the matter.
A US State Department spokesman said both Denmark and the Netherlands had been given “formal assurances” for the transfer of their multi-role F-16 fighter jets.
The spokesman added that this would happen “as soon as the first set of pilots completes their training”.
Dutch Foreign Minister Voopke Hoekstra welcomed the US decision, saying it was “an important milestone for Ukraine to defend its people and its country”.
“We will now discuss this topic further with our European partners,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Danish Defense Minister Jacob Elleman Jensen echoed his words.
“The government has said several times that donation after training is a natural next step. We are discussing this with close allies,” he told JEE News.
Oleksiy Reznikov, Minister of Defense in Ukraine, called the US decision a big news.
“Our military has proven to be full of fast learners. We will soon prove that victory in Ukraine is inevitable. Thank you to all our partners and friends in the US, the Netherlands and Denmark. On to victory.” Forward!” He wrote on X.
An 11-member coalition of Ukraine’s allies in the West is starting to train Ukrainian pilots later this month and is expected to be ready next year.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Akhnat admitted that Kyiv would not be able to operate the F-16 this coming fall and winter.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is considered one of the most reliable fighter jets in the world.
According to the US Air Force, it can be armed with precision-guided missiles and bombs and is capable of flying at speeds of up to 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h).
The F-16’s targeting capability will allow Ukraine to attack Russian forces with greater precision in all weather conditions and at night.
Ukraine is believed to have dozens of warplanes – mostly MiGs – all of which date back to the Soviet era, and the country is currently badly outflanked by Russia in the airspace.
Kyiv needs modern warplanes to help defend its skies against regular lethal Russian missile and drone strikes, and to support its counteroffensive in southern and eastern Ukraine, which has so far produced limited results.
