Current:Home > InvestThe Dutch government has taken another step toward donating 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine-InfoLens
The Dutch government has taken another step toward donating 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine
View Date:2024-12-23 10:24:28
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government announced Friday it is preparing to give 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, in a boost for the embattled nation that is growing increasingly anxious about aid from its Western allies.
The Dutch defense minister, Kajsa Ollongren, sent a letter to parliament outlining the plan to donate the sophisticated jets that was first unveiled in the summer.
Friday’s decision is a significant step toward sending the planes into the skies over Ukraine, but did not say when they will be delivered.
The government said the move “allows personnel and budget to be allocated to prepare the devices” to be sent to Ukraine.
“With F-16s, Ukraine can better defend itself against Russian attacks,” Ollongren said in a statement. She added that the planes are “extremely important because the ongoing Russian aggression shows no sign of ending. That is why we are continuing unabated with our support for Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited a military airbase in the southern Dutch city of Eindhoven in August to inspect two of the jets on the day that the Netherland and Denmark said they would donate planes to boost the Ukrainian war effort.
Last month, Romania inaugurated an international training hub for F-16 jet pilots from allied countries and other partners, including Ukraine. The training facility at an air base in southeast Romania will aim to increase interoperability between NATO allies, and better position the military alliance “to face the complex challenges” in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region, Romania’s defense ministry said.
Romania said at the time that the powerful U.S.-made warplanes would be supplied by the Dutch air force while the aircraft maker Lockheed Martin would provide instructors and maintenance at the training center.
The Dutch government said Friday it still has to decide whether to grant an export permit for the planes “to prevent undesirable end use.” The foreign ministry will make the assessment based on European Union weapon export rules.
Ukrainian pilots must have completed F-16 training before the jets can be delivered and infrastructure in Ukraine also must be prepared for the planes, the government added.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
veryGood! (47)
Related
- Traveling to Las Vegas? Here Are the Best Black Friday Hotel Deals
- IRS gives Minnesota a final ‘no’ on exempting state tax rebates from federal taxes
- Ravens TE Mark Andrews helps aid woman with medical emergency on flight
- Group of Kentucky educators won $1 million Powerball, hid ticket in math book
- When does Spirit Christmas open? What to know about Spirit Halloween’s new holiday venture
- `This House’ by Lynn Nottage, daughter and composer Ricky Ian Gordon, gets 2025 St. Louis premiere
- Go Inside Botched Star Dr. Paul Nassif's Jaw-Dropping Bel-Air Mansion
- A year after Ohio train derailment, families may have nowhere safe to go
- Jamie Lee Curtis and Don Lemon quit X, formerly Twitter: 'Time for me to leave'
- A year after Ohio train derailment, families may have nowhere safe to go
Ranking
- Does the NFL have a special teams bias when hiring head coaches? History indicates it does
- Lawmakers move to help veterans at risk of losing their homes
- OxyContin marketer agrees to pay $350M rather than face lawsuits
- Duke Energy seeks new ways to meet the Carolinas’ surging electric demand
- Brian Kelly asks question we're all wondering after Alabama whips LSU, but how to answer?
- Florida Senate sends messages to Washington on budget, foreign policy, term limits
- Prison gang leader in Mississippi gets 20 years for racketeering conspiracy
- Prison gang leader in Mississippi gets 20 years for racketeering conspiracy
Recommendation
-
In bizarro world, Tennessee plays better defense, and Georgia's Kirby Smart comes unglued
-
Nikki Haley's presidential campaign shifts focus in effort to catch Trump in final weeks before South Carolina primary
-
Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper's Romance Is Far From the Shallow During NYC Outing
-
Elmo Wants to Reassure You There Are Sunny Days Ahead After His Viral Check-in
-
Tropical Storm Sara threatens to bring flash floods and mudslides to Central America
-
Camp Lejeune water contamination tied to range of cancers, CDC study finds
-
NCAA recorded nearly $1.3 billion in revenue in 2023, putting net assets at $565 million
-
Firm announces $25M settlement over role in Flint, Michigan, lead-tainted water crisis