US, Netherlands and Denmark announced that they would provide the first NATO-provided F-16 fighter jets to Ukrainian military pilots by summer…reports Asian Lite News
NATO leaders have pledged to provide Ukraine with at least USD 43 billion in military aid within the next year to bolster its defences against Russia, which the 32 nations grouping sees Russia a growing threat to Europe.
Moreover, the NATO leaders also formally declared Kyiv on an “irreversible path” to membership in the Western military alliance. The decision has been included in a final communique following a NATO summit in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
It came as the alliance’s members also announced individual and joint steps to boost Ukraine’s and Europe’s security.
The United States, Netherlands and Denmark announced that they would provide the first NATO-provided F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian military pilots by this summer.
The US further said it will be deploying longer-range missiles in Germany in 2026, noting that it will be a major step aimed at countering what the allies say is Russia’s growing threat to Europe.
The move will also send Germany the most potent US weapons to be based on the European continent since the Cold War.
Moreover, it would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the US and the Soviet Union in 1987, however, that collapsed in 2019.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to X and appreciated NATO’s effort to strengthen his air force, saying the new fighter jets “bring just and lasting peace closer, demonstrating that terror must fail”.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg underlined that Ukraine will not join the alliance’s ranks immediately, however, insisted that must happen after the war is over to ensure that Russia never attacks Kyiv again.
Highlighting the overall NATO assistance, Stoltenberg said, “We are not doing this because we want to prolong a war. We are doing it because we want to end a war as soon as possible.”
However, the US and a few other countries have opposed membership for Ukraine during the conflict with Russia to avoid an escalation of tensions that could lead to a larger war.
They have further stressed that Ukraine must take significant steps to address corruption as well as other systemic reforms.
Moreover, the NATO communique also strengthened past language on China, calling it a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and emphasised that Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.
Meanwhile, Biden has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, worth USD 225 million, which includes a Patriot air defence system to help Ukraine protect its skies from Russian airstrikes, The Hill reported.
This announcement was made during a meeting between Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO Summit held on July 10 in Wahington DC.
This is the second Patriot system the US has promised to Ukraine. The system will be taken directly from the US military’s inventory and sent to Ukraine quickly, as per The Hill.
The air defence system also is among several others that Biden announced this week at the summit.
Kicking off the event on July 9, Biden teased the “historic donation of air defence equipment for Ukraine,” with the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy to provide Kyiv “with the equipment for five additional strategic air defence systems.”
Later on, a joint statement from the US, Germany and Romania said they would give Ukraine Patriot batteries, the Netherlands would provide components to make up another Patriot battery and Italy will provide a SAMP-T air defence system.
Biden added that in the coming months, the US and its partners will provide Kyiv with “dozens of additional tactical air defence systems.”
This week, NATO countries pledged to send more weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russian attacks.
The promise comes after a recent escalation in violence, including a missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv on July 8 that killed at least 42 people. The hospital strike was part of a larger attack that targeted five Ukrainian cities with over 40 missiles. NATO’s support aims to help Ukraine continue to resist Russian aggression.
NATO is a military alliance of 31 countries from North America and Europe, committed to mutual defence and cooperation
The $225 million package also includes munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAM), Stinger antiaircraft missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems), Javelin and AT-4 antiarmor systems and more 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds, among other munitions, according to a Pentagon list of the aid.
The new announcement comes after the US last week promised to send more military aid to Ukraine, worth $150 million, through a special program that allows the President to quickly provide weapons from US stocks.
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