Latest news Ukraine

Shmyhal: Kyiv expects to receive first F-16s this summer

Defense Minister Umerov also said Ukraine is anticipating the delivery of its first F-16 fighter jets “very soon,” but has criticized delays in receiving crucial foreign military aid, with only half arriving on time.

byMaria Tril

29/05/2024

2 minute read

Shmyhal: Kyiv expects to receive first F-16s this summer

During a working meeting in Prague, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and European Union leaders discussed providing Ukraine with air defense systems. “We expect to receive the first F-16 aircraft this summer,” the prime minister said.

Ukrainian delegation held a broad working meeting on 28 May in Prague with the prime ministers: Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic, Evika Silina of Latvia, Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, and President Andrzej Duda of Poland.

Shmyhal also said Ukraine’s interest in establishing joint ventures, technology transfers, and funding for its production facilities.

He thanked the EU for creating the Ukraine Assistance Fund within the European Peace Facility, saying, “We currently consider it necessary to establish a mechanism as soon as possible for our partners to purchase weapons for the Ukrainian army from Ukrainian manufacturers, with subsequent compensation from this Fund.”

The parties discussed the Global Peace Summit, scheduled for 15-16 June in Switzerland. The prime minister expressed confidence that “today’s high-level negotiations will yield very good results for Ukraine on the battlefield and achieving a just peace.”

In an interview with Reuters, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said, “At this stage, we are focused on personnel training, pilots, infrastructure, and engaging operational and repair teams.” Umerov hopes the F-16 fighter jets will be delivered “very, very soon.”

He also said Ukraine needs more weapons, including long-range missiles, to counter Russian forces and allow them to break through.

The defense chief noted that Ukraine is grateful to Western countries for all the assistance provided, but only half of it is delivered on time. “Timing is crucial, and to repel attacks, we need the supplies to be delivered on time,” Umerov said.

Read also:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!