2023-08-20 16:01:30
The Ukrainian president made a surprise trip to Eindhoven this Sunday for the announcement. The number of aircraft has not yet been specified.
The interim Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, confirmed this Sunday that His country will deliver, together with Denmark, F-16 fighters to Ukraine “as soon as possible” after completion of the military training of Ukrainian pilots, although he did not specify how many aircraft he will deliver.
In a press conference in the Netherlands together with the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, Rutte pointed out that it is “crucial that the pilots are trained” and that the necessary infrastructure for the F-16s be prepared, for which he stressed that these planes “will not help immediately (in war), but are part of the long-term commitment” of the Netherlands to Kiev.
Zelenski landed by surprise this Sunday in Eindhoven for the announcement with the Dutch prime minister. (Bloomberg)
“We want them to be operational as soon as possible. We will do our best for this”, promised Rutte, who reported that the Netherlands now has a total of 42 F-16 fighters in stock and needs “some of them to help Denmark with pilot training and soon also in Romania”, so it is not known exactly how many it will be able to deliver to Kiev.
For his part, Zelenski stressed that lThe talks about the number of fighters to be delivered will take place once the military training of the pilots begins. and the Ukrainian technical personnel, but welcomed the fact that the Netherlands has agreed to provide this type of military aid.
“Today was the first time I heard the most important agreement and that is that, apart from the United States – and we are grateful for that – the Netherlands is the first country that agreed to deliver F-16s to Ukraine after training. He didn’t want to talk about the number, and Mark said that we are discussing the number 42, but I think we will have a proper discussion later with our colleagues from Denmark,” Zelenski added.
Regarding the situation on the ground, the Ukrainian leader assured that Kiev “is advancing” and stressed “that we must not forget that (Ukraine) is not fighting someone, it is fighting the Russian Federation, who yesterday, and a year ago, what they wanted was to demolish us, to conquer us, and they have failed, and now we are talking about the counteroffensive”.
“I know, we would always like everything to go faster, and for fighters to really speed up this process (…) But we are talking about air defenses, we have winter ahead of us, and we know more than anyone what a winter without electricity. And this is the complexity of the matter. But we are not going to give up, that is the great news,” Zelenski added.
The greeting between Zelensky and Rutte. (Bloomberg)
In addition, he recalled that Ukraine seeks “just peace, with the full recovery and restoration of its territorial integrity”although he warned that he will not forget the tragedies that have taken place these years on Ukrainian territory “just because time has passed”, and will seek justice in court.
“Perhaps in Russia they think that we are going to forget about all that and we are going to reach agreements. It is a matter of justice. No, we are not going to make agreements. Someone has to take responsibility and we know their names,” she said.
Zelenski landed this Sunday by surprise at the air base in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, where he was received by a delegation from the Rutte government, and he did so just a few days after the United States promised to expedite the necessary approvals to ensure the shipment. of F-16 to Ukraine.
“They are not going to be delivered next month, that is impossible, but I hope soon after,” Rutte calculated today about the fighters he plans to deliver to Ukraine along with Denmark.
This is the Ukrainian president’s second visit to the Netherlands since the war began in February of last year, although Zelenski’s trips to allied countries are common to thank Kiev for their support during the war and to advocate for more diplomatic, military and financial aid.
(Source: EFE)
look also
#Netherlands #Denmark #deliver #F16 #fighters #government #Volodimir #Zelenski