Zelenskyy asks Finland to consider providing Ukraine with its F-18s
During the visit of Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to Kyiv on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Finland to consider delivering its F-18 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Source: Yle, Finnish broadcaster, citing Zelenskyy at a press conference with Petteri Orpo, the Prime Minister of Finland
The Ukrainian president was asked whether Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, whose service life is coming to an end, could be used by his air force.
Quote: "If Finland does not need its F-18 fighter jets, we will gladly accept them," Zelenskyy answered, but added that the priority for Ukraine now is the F-16 fighter jets.
"I think everyone understands why. Because Ukraine will need a large number of fighter jets in the future, which our partners can provide, and this is possible with these [F-16] fighter jets," the president added.
Background: In March, during a visit to Kyiv, the then prime minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, allowed the possibility of providing Ukraine with F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. After that, she received a lot of criticism, saying that such public statements should not have been made before consultations within the country.
Officially, the Finnish authorities oppose the delivery of F-18s to Ukraine, as they believe that a large number of different types of fighters will only complicate efforts to train Ukrainian pilots and maintain aviation.
As far as is known from open sources, now the Air Force of Finland has 55 F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and about twenty training models; there are also older training models of the British Hawk jets. Finland has ordered 64 of the latest F-35 fighter jets from the US to replace them, and they should be delivered by 2026.
As reported, Finland will soon approve a new, already 18th, aid package to Ukraine.
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