Russia condemned the decision by Denmark and the Netherlands to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, stating that this would exacerbate the conflict.
Denmark and the Netherlands said on Sunday they would hand over F-16s to Ukraine. The first six machines are expected to be delivered around the turn of the year. Denmark will transfer a total of 19 fighters. The Netherlands has a total of 42 F-16s, but has not yet decided whether they will all go to Ukraine.
“The fact that Denmark has now decided to transfer 19 F-16s to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict,” Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin said in a statement quoted by the Ritzau news agency.
According to him, “Denmark is hiding behind the premise that Ukraine itself must determine the terms of the peace, and by its actions is trying to leave Ukraine with no choice but to continue the military confrontation with Russia.”
Ukraine will not be able to attack targets in Russia with F-16 fighter jets
Danish Defense Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said Ukraine should only use the F-16s on its territory. – We hand over the weapons on the condition that they will be used to drive the enemy out of Ukrainian territory. And no more,’ he emphasises. “These are the conditions, whether it’s tanks or fighter jets or whatever,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Western aircraft would bolster Ukraine’s air defenses and help the country counteroffensive against Russian forces.
Last week, the US approved sending F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine once pilot training is complete. This was announced by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in a letter to his Danish and Dutch colleagues.
The US gave the green light
Earlier, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Joe Biden “gave the green light” to allow European countries to begin long-awaited training of Ukrainian pilots in the use of F-16 fighters.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in late July that Ukraine would receive F-16 fighters before the end of the year. At the same time, he determined that the purchase of the aircraft would not significantly change the situation on the battlefield and that Kiev especially needed more artillery ammunition.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
