Ukraine officially asks Netherlands for F-16 fighter jets
Kajsa Ollongren, the Dutch Defence Minister, has confirmed that Ukraine has submitted a request asking the Netherlands to supply F-16 fighter jets.
Source: Dutch news outlet NOS
Details: According to Ollongren, the request is understandable, but not easy to fulfil.
Quote: "We need to discuss the availability of F-16s with the Americans and other allies. And we have to look seriously at the consequences, it can't just happen overnight. We have to be honest about that."
"We take the request very seriously, but the issue of fighter jets is not so easily resolved," she added.
Personnel must undergo appropriate training before the Ukrainian military can use fighter jets. And this aircraft is a US defence system, so it needs permission from the US government.
Ollongren does not rule out that Ukraine will become one of the countries where F-16s will be used in the long term. "The country will never again be able to buy Russian fighter jets, as it could before," she said.
Background: At the end of January, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron that no request has been received. Now it formally exists.
Ukraine has been insisting for some time on the supply of Western military aircraft to fight against Russia. President Zelenskyy expressed his position during his visit to Great Britain, and also called on EU leaders in Brussels.
Zelenskyy said he had heard after negotiations from several European leaders that they are ready to supply aircrafts, without going into details. Western countries have so far been reluctant to commit themselves.
In addition, agreements on permission to deploy F-16 fighter jets also apply to other aircraft and countries: the country where the aircraft are manufactured must give its blessing for deployment in Ukraine. Sometimes it even applies to several countries. For example, Eurofighter Typhoon fighters are produced by four countries: UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.
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