– Russia Conflict: ‘All Russia neighbours under threat if Ukraine doesn’t win’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a crowd in Denmark on Monday that promised deliveries of US-made F-16 fighter jets had made him confident Ukraine could end Russia’s invasion. Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday announced they would supply the first F-16s to Ukraine, with the initial six due to be delivered around New Year. Washington had approved the delivery of the jets ahead of Zelensky’s trip to Copenhagen. “Today we are confident that Russia will lose this war,” Zelensky told thousands of people who gathered outside the Danish parliament to hear his speech. “All of Russia’s neighbours are under threat if Ukraine does not prevail,” he said before heading to Greece, the fourth European country he is visiting in three days.
Russia warned earlier that supplying the jets to Ukraine would only escalate the war. “The fact that Denmark has now decided to donate 19 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict,” Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin said. “We donate weapons under the condition that they are used to drive the enemy out of the territory of Ukraine. And no further than that,” Danish defence minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said. Denmark will deliver 19 jets in total. The Netherlands has 42 F-16s available in all but has yet to decide whether all of them will be donated. Zelensky has called the decision a “breakthrough”.
The Ukrainian military said the jet was vital to the success of its counteroffensive, which has proceeded slowly since its launch in early June. “Superiority in the air is key to success on the ground,” air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said.
However, getting Ukrainian squadrons battle-ready could take much longer. US Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of US air forces in Europe and Africa, said last week that he did not expect the F-16s to be a game-changer for Ukraine. Getting F-16 squadrons ready for battle could take “four or five years,” he said. While some training has already begun for Ukrainian pilots, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Sunday it’s just language lessons so far. Training Ukrainian pilots is just one of the challenges in the anticipated deployment of F-16s. Questions also remain over who will carry out crucial aircraft maintenance, the supply of spare parts, runway maintenance and protective shelters for the planes on the ground, and what weapons the West will supply to arm the fighter jets.