US greenlights NATO F-16s for Ukraine but jets excluded from current counter offensive
The Netherlands currently has 42 F-16 fighter jets in its inventory, 24 of which are being used and cannot be sent to Ukraine until mid-2024. (Photo: Royal Netherlands Air Force)
Despite receiving approval for Danish and Dutch F-16 fighter jets from the US, Ukraine's ongoing counter offensive against Russia will not see the immediate deployment of these aircraft.
The US has approved the delivery of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet aircraft to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands once pilot training for the fourth-generation jet is completed, US officials reportedly said.
‘We welcome Washington's decision to pave the way for sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine,’ Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Twitter (currently being rebranded as X).
‘Now, we will further discuss the subject with our European partners.’
Denmark also said providing Ukraine with the jets would now be discussed.
‘The government has said several times that a donation is a natural next step after training. We
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