2023-08-21 13:19:49
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, was received today at the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen (Denmark) by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who offered an official banquet for the Ukrainian head of state in the room set aside for finery and state visits.
As reported by Danish public television, which broadcast live the moment the queen received the Ukrainian leader, andPrince Federico and Princess Maria also attend the partyin which Zelensky will be accompanied by his wife, Olena Zelenska.
This appointment with the Royal House occurs on the second day of Zelenski’s two-day visit to Copenhagen, where the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, announced that her Government will send, together with the Netherlands, the first F combat aircraft -16 that will receive Ukraine.
Before meeting the queen, Zelensky visited an airbase yesterday with Frederiksen and he addressed Parliament this Monday in an emotional speech in which he highlighted the historical nature of the Danish decision to send F-16s to kyiv.
Ukraine has been asking its Western allies for months to send it fighter jets to better defend its cities and essential installations from Russian bombing and for its soldiers to have air cover when attacking Russian defense lines on the ground.
Western governments have so far been reluctant to send modern aircraft to Ukraine.
As it has done before the West decided to send other types of weapons to Ukraine, Russia claims that this step means crossing a red line that will lead to an escalation of the conflict with possible repercussions for Ukrainian partnersa.
Instructors from Western countries are training Ukrainian pilots in the handling of F-16s. The first fighters of this class could arrive in Ukraine before the end of the year from Denmark.
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