From Sweden to the Netherlands and now in Denmark. Zelenskyj is traveling to collect weapons and support. He landed in Denmark on Sunday afternoon in a military transport plane. Zelenskyj will, among other things, meet the royal house and the Folketing, as well as Ukrainians in Denmark. He went around and greeted the Ukrainian pilots who will be trained to fly the F-16 in Skrydstrup, according to Danish TV 2. A few hours earlier, at an aircraft hangar in Eindhoven, the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, could confirm that they will give F -16 aircraft to Ukraine together with Denmark – as soon as the Ukrainian pilots are fully trained. A historic selfie after a historic decision. Photo: AFP Denmark hopes the first six will be ready by the New Year On Sunday evening, it became known how many F-16 fighter jets Denmark will donate to Ukraine. They promise a total of 19 planes. – This is a remarkable moment, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen opened the press conference with. Frederiksen hopes that the first six F-16 aircraft will be ready by the New Year. Prime Minister Mark Rutte would not say anything about the number of F-16 aircraft to be given to Ukraine. Photo: Reuters – The Netherlands has 42 F-16 aircraft, How many of these are going to Ukraine, I cannot answer right now. It requires more talks, Rutte said when asked by a journalist about how many planes the Netherlands will provide. – Will not change much in the short term Professor Tormod Heier at the Norwegian Defense Academy says that the biggest gain for Ukraine now is that the US continues to open up more defense material. – It indicates that the USA is less worried about the war in Ukraine escalating into a major European war. It also means that the US and NATO seem to place less emphasis on Russian threats, such as the use of nuclear weapons. But it also expresses that the West is preparing for a war that will be protracted. It is in this longer perspective that these F-16 aircraft will have a greater role, continues Heier. – This decision fits into a wider Western strategy, where Russia must be convinced that victory is not possible, by drawing Ukraine into a long-term defense cooperation in terms of aircraft. – It is also supported by an industrial defense cooperation, where factories are established in Ukraine to make Swedish armored personnel carriers and perhaps German tanks, says Heier. Combat aircraft and CV-90 vehicles were two of the topics Zelenskyj talked to Kristersson about. Yesterday came the news that Ukraine and Sweden have signed a letter of intent to teach Ukraine to produce its own CV-90 armored personnel carriers. The agreement stipulates that the Swedes who produce these wagons will teach the Ukrainians how to do it themselves. This will give Ukraine greater access to this type of wagon. Not unexpected Earlier this week it became known that the US would approve the transfer of F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine as soon as the training of pilots is completed. It was Reuters who first reported the case, after they were given access to a letter signed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands about the case. The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, expressed his full support for Denmark, the Netherlands and Ukraine in a letter. Photo: FRODE FJERDINGSTAD / news – I am writing to express the USA’s full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified instructors, Blinken wrote in the letter, according to Reuters. Bjørn Arild Gram: – Will investigate the possibility of donating – Norway wants to contribute to Ukraine building up a modern fighter aircraft capacity. It is important and necessary, says Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp) to news. Norway will assist in training Ukrainian pilots, and is contributing aircraft to the training. They will now investigate further the possibility of donating F-16 aircraft, says Bjørn Arild Gram. – It is a question that requires thorough assessments, which we will do in close dialogue with our allies. We will come back with a final decision on this.
ttn-69