Denmark Is Ready to Send F-16s to Ukraine

Western countries continue to push for aid for Ukraine.

Denmark stated that Ukraine could receive the F-16 fighter jets sooner than announced by NATO.

The Danish Ministry of Defense has announced that their country's Air Force will replace its F-16 fleet with F-35s two years ahead of schedule.

This will result in faster F-16 deliveries to Ukraine.

It was previously planned that the Danish Air Force would switch to the F-35 in 2027.

However, the Ministry of Defense has informed the country's parliament that the F-35 will become operational two years earlier, in 2025.

"We were able to introduce the F-35 into service earlier than planned.

Thus, we find ourselves in a situation where the F-16s can be stopped more quickly," Acting Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement quoted by German Radio.

Earlier, Poulsen said that Danish authorities expected Ukrainian pilots to begin F-16 training in the country in August.

"This does not mean that a decision cannot be made (about the jet transfer to Kiev) earlier.

However, they (the F-16 fighters) will remain in Denmark until 2024," he said.

Poulsen's statement contradicts NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's recent statement that NATO has yet to make a decision on the timing of the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

During a press conference held by the European Political Community in Kishinev this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that several NATO members have expressed their willingness to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Previously, Russia sent notes to NATO countries regarding arms shipments to Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any arms shipment to Ukraine would be considered a legitimate target for Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that NATO countries are "playing with fire" by supplying Ukraine with weapons.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping Ukraine with Western weapons does not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative impact.