Danish PM reveals timeline for F-16 delivery to Ukraine

The first American-made F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Ukraine “in the next month” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday. The batch will include five aircraft, she announced in a joint press conference with leaders of other Nordic countries and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Stockholm.

Copenhagen is a member of the coalition of Western supporters of Kiev, which promised to buy US-designed F-16 aircraft for Ukraine and train its pilots last year. Denmark pledged to provide 19 aircraft of this type out of a total of about 40 aircraft pledged by the coalition. Another 24 should come from the Netherlands.

“The first five planes from Denmark will be in the air within the next month from now.” Frederiksen said in response to a question about accelerating Western arms and ammunition deliveries that could prevent Kiev from losing the conflict. The Danish Prime Minister has also repeatedly called on Western countries to do so “Donates” Ammunition and air defense systems to Ukraine.

“[Ukrainians] “They are fighting at the moment and it is not going in the right direction.” In reference to the ongoing Russian advance in the Donbass and Kharkov region. He added, “The main reason for the losses on the Ukrainian side is the lack of air defenses.” she claimed.

Frederiksen described the conflict in Ukraine as… “Top priority” The European Union and NATO accused Moscow of launching the missiles “Hybrid attacks and operations on NATO territory” Which I contacted “Very disturbing.”

In March, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said Denmark would be the first country to deliver F-16s and would do so sometime this summer. The Netherlands was scheduled to follow suit and supply Ukraine with a batch of combat aircraft “In the second half of the year” The minister said at the time. Earlier this month, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ilya Ivlash stated that Kiev could get the planes early. “After Easter,” Which was on May 5th.

Kiev has long sought American-made aircraft, promoting them as a way to significantly improve its defensive and offensive capabilities. However, some senior Ukrainian military officials believe it is too late for such deliveries. Politico reported last month, citing high-ranking Ukrainian military sources, that the planes may no longer be relevant because Russia has already developed countermeasures against them.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that continued Western arms supplies to Kiev will only prolong the conflict, but will not change its final outcome.