F-16s arrive in Ukraine, Zelenskyy says

The number of fighter jets and the number of pilots trained to fly them was still insufficient, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday. Even so, the arrival of the jets signaled the beginning of a new era for the Ukrainian Air Force, he said. Receiving the U.S.-made jets was a feat of extensive negotiations, lobbying, and meetings. The Ukrainian Air Force flew more than 22,000 combat missions in the two-and-a-half years of war before the F-16s arrived in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

What makes the F-16 Fighting Falcon so special? The jet has the ability to fly farther and longer than any potential adversary’s aircraft, according to the U.S. Air Force. It can also operate in severe weather while striking ground targets and dogfighting with enemy aircraft. The Center for International and Strategic Studies speculated earlier this year that the F-16s would help Ukraine establish air dominance in certain areas of Ukraine, which would assist Ukrainian troops on the ground.

How long has Ukraine been working to get these jets? Since March of 2023, the United States and its allies have been promising to provide F-16s to Ukraine. That included promises to train Ukrainian fighter pilots to operate the jets and ground crews to maintain them. Last month, the Netherlands and Denmark began transferring their F-16s Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement.

What else did Ukraine have to say about its war efforts? Ukraine would be meeting with NATO leaders and with nearby countries about assembling a coalition to shoot down missiles flying near or toward their borders, Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian airmen continued to receive training from the West, he said.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift from last week about the United States providing more aid to Ukraine as Russia touts advances on the battlefield.