Denmark ready to give Ukraine F-16s, pending US approval

The Danish government is ready to hand over F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but only if the US, which manufactures these planes, approves this transfer.

Radio 4 reported this.

Today, Acting Minister of Defense of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen said that Denmark would support the transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine. But this will only happen with the approval of the US, which manufactures the F16 aircraft.

"I want to say that I cannot imagine us not supporting this. Ukraine needs planes. More than ever, if they want to fight external aggression. This also applies to the Danish F-16 fighter jets," Troels Lund Poulsen said in his speech.

Two days ago, the government official said something completely different: no decision was made on the Danish side to provide fighter jets.

"The government has not yet made any decision regarding the F-16 fighter jets," Troels Lund Poulsen said at the time.

Ukrainian pilots will soon come to Denmark, where they will be trained to operate and maintain F-16 aircraft.

The training will take place at the Skrydstrup base in Jutland, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited in May.

Denmark and the Netherlands are the leaders of cooperation in training Ukrainian pilots. Denmark has 43 F-16 combat aircraft, of which 30 are an active part of the military fleet. However, the Danish F-16s are now being replaced by the more modern F-35 fighter jets.

For reference:

Denmark is ready to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters, providing access to its air base.

Denmark and the USA, Great Britain, and the Netherlands announced the transfer to Ukraine of hundreds of air defense missiles and systems that will help protect Ukraine's infrastructure and support offensive actions.

The supply of air defense systems and shells to them has already begun, and the final weapons will be handed over in the coming weeks.

Read also – Denmark's support to Ukraine: facts and numbers