ISW: Ukraine may receive F-16 fighter jets in the coming days

Ukraine may receive the first batch of Western F-16 fighter jets any day now, following the commitment of the governments of the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium to strengthen Ukraine's air defense by the end of 2023.

This is stated in a new analytical report by experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The analysts also reminded that the day before, on December 22, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that his country had begun preparations for the transfer of the first 18 fighter jets.

"Ukraine is likely to receive the first batch of F-16s by the end of 2023. On December 22, during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte confirmed that the Dutch government will prepare the first 18 F-16 fighters for delivery to Ukraine," ISW said.

The analysts acknowledged that Rutte did not publicly name any timeframe for when the first batch of fighter jets could be delivered. However, they reminded that the Estonian Ministry of Defense recently presented its comprehensive strategy for Ukraine's victory in the war. Among other things, it stated that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have already pledged to deliver a batch of F-16s to Ukraine "by the end of the year."

As a reminder, back on December 8, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine would receive F-16s in the short term. Along with them, the official noted, the partners will also provide other equipment that Kyiv has long been negotiating with its Western allies. However, Umerov did not name any specific terms or dates.

A few days before this statement, it became known that the F-16 coalition was working to increase the number of aircraft to be transferred to Ukraine.

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