Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a crowd in Denmark on Monday that promises to deliver US F-16 fighter jets made him certain Ukraine could end Russia’s invasion of its territory.
On Sunday, Denmark and the Netherlands announced that they would supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, and that the first batch of six of them would be delivered to Kiev around the beginning of the new year. Washington agreed to deliver the planes before Zelensky’s visit to Copenhagen.
“We are certain today that Russia will lose this war,” Zelensky told thousands of people who gathered in front of the Danish parliament to hear his speech.
Moscow warned earlier in the day that the decision by Denmark and the Netherlands to give Ukraine F-16 fighter jets would only lead to an escalation of the 18-month-old conflict.
Russian forces occupy nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and Kiev is desperate to expel them.
“Denmark’s decision now to donate 19 F-16s to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict,” Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin said in a statement carried by the Ritzau news agency.
“By covering up behind the hypothesis that Ukraine should determine the terms of peace, Denmark seeks, in deed and word, to leave Ukraine no other choice but to continue the military confrontation with Russia,” he added.
The Ukrainian military said the planes were essential to the success of its slow-moving counter-offensive since its launch in early June, as they would prevent Russian fighter jets from attacking Ukrainian forces as they advanced.
“Superiority in the air is the key to success on the ground,” Ukrainian media quoted Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat as saying.
Danish Defense Minister Jakob Elliman Jensen said Ukraine would only use the F-16s inside its territory.
“We donate weapons on the condition that they are used to expel the enemy from the territory of Ukraine. And nothing more,” he added on Monday.
“These are the conditions, whether for tanks, combat aircraft or anything else,” he said.
Denmark will send a total of 19 F-16s. The Netherlands owns 42 F-16s but has not yet decided whether to donate them all.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the move an “important agreement”.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Saturday that training of Ukrainians to fly the F-16 had begun, but that it would take at least six months and possibly longer to train the engineers and technicians.
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2023-08-21 13:45:26
