According to the Norwegian media, Norway will donate a maximum of ten planes to Ukraine.
Norway donates F-16 fighters to Ukraine. The matter will be confirmed by the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, who is currently visiting Kyiv. Tells about the news, for example Norwegian news site VG.
– Our plan is to donate F-16 planes to Ukraine. But we need to specify the plan in terms of the number of machines and the delivery schedule, Støre said at his press conference in Ukraine celebrating Independence Day.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi responded to Norway’s promise by stating that it is the best news that Ukrainians have heard on their Independence Day.
With the promise, Norway is becoming the third country to provide F-16 fighters to Ukraine. Over the weekend, Denmark and the Netherlands announced that they were the first countries to supply Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen said on Sunday during Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit that Denmark will donate 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte did not disclose the exact number of machines to be donated. According to him, the country is soon replacing the 42 F-16s in use by its air force, but some of the machines are being kept for training use.
The Norwegian news agency NTB says that it had a conversation with Støre in Kyiv. According to the news agency, Norway will probably deliver 5–10 planes to Ukraine.
Norway currently has 57 F-16 fighters. However, the country has managed to sell 32 of them to Romania and 12 to the American company Draken International.
However, according to NTB, the machines have not yet been delivered, and according to Støre, the latter deal has already been cancelled.
In addition to F-16 fighters, Norway will supply Ukraine with missiles for air defense, demining equipment and 130 million euros worth of gas and electricity for the coming winter.
Sources: AFP, AP