“F16s will defend Ukrainian skies this summer”

There is no date for entry into NATO, there will be no additional 100 billion in military aid, but after months of waiting, suffering on the ground and doubts, Ukrainian pilots F16 fighter jets will be able to fly to protect themselves from the brutal Russian aggression in the coming weeks. “The first deliveries are arriving from Denmark and the Netherlands and will defend Ukrainian skies this summer,” the US Secretary of State said. Anthony BlinkenOn the occasion of the Atlantic Alliance summit this Wednesday.

The history of fighter jets perfectly summarizes the ups and downs of two and a half years of war. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the US and the rest of the allies did not know how to calibrate. At first they thought Kiev would fall in a matter of days, and when it managed to resist and asked for help, they also did not know how to react. Germany offered 50,000 helmets, medical supplies arrived, but the West thought any next step could end in open war between NATO and Russia. Over time all the red lines have been brokenfrom small arms and ammunition to artillery pieces, anti-aircraft batteries, battle tanks and, finally, airplanes. When Poland proposed this, the rest threw up their hands, they said it was unthinkable, a dangerous escalation. Biden rejected it and put it at the level of sending allied troops. Until the fighters started arriving. Today the saying is that sending material is dangerous, but not doing so is even more dangerous.

Last summer, after much thought, US gives green signal to supply its F16s to European countriesNorth American manufacturing. It will no longer be just Soviet-origin aircraft that Ukrainian pilots master. But whatever flies. Meanwhile, pilots have been trained in the US and across Europe, including Spain. And finally deliveries are going to be massive.

There were many problems. First, learn to fly this type of equipment. Usually a pilot spends hundreds, thousands of hours until he masters each combat aircraft, and this work has to be done in another language and abroad. Then comes the problem of physical delivery. And the main one: having secret, hidden airports and runways in Ukraine. Those of which can take off and land without being immediately destroyed by Russian drones.

The Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Belgium committed over 70 units to move, but they had not yet arrived and frustration at the front was complete. Now, after the brutal attack on a children’s hospital in Kiev, it seems the wait is over,

“We, co-leaders of the Air Force Capability Coalition for Ukraine, are working to provide operational F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The Danish and Dutch governments are in the process of donating combat aircraft to Ukraine with the support of Ukraine. Operational F-16s will fly this summer. We cannot provide additional details at this time due to operational security concerns,” said a joint statement from the White House and the Dutch and Danish governments. “We are committed to further enhancing Ukraine’s air capabilities, which will include squadrons of modern fourth-generation F-16 multirole aircraft. The coalition intends to support their maintenance and armament, as well as increased training for pilots to improve operational effectiveness. “We will continue to coordinate together to support Ukraine’s ability to defend itself from Russian aggression.”

The lesson ends.

“An irreversible path towards NATO”

Moscow’s reaction has been quick and somewhat immediate, as the delivery has come as nothing but a surprise. “The plan to deliver F16 aircraft to Ukraine shows that Washington is leading the war gang,” said Foreign Minister Lavrov. Blinken stressed that the shipment sends a signal to Putin. “He will not be able to defeat Ukraine, he will not be able to break us, and if he persists, The damage that Russia and its interests will continue to suffer will only get deeper” the Secretary of State said.

All this takes place in Washington, where the leaders of the 32 members meet to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the alliance. The president is present Volodymyr ZelenskyAnd although the country will not get the extra 100,000 million it dreams of, it has promised “irreversibility” on the path it has already started.l

NATO intends to send a civilian liaison who will have an office in Kyiv. So far, all assistance, economic, military or intelligence, has been provided bilaterally by member countries, not by the alliance. An additional commitment has come from Washington “to provide a minimum core financing of 40 billion euros over the next year and to provide sustainable levels of security assistance so that Ukraine can prevail.”

And this declaration goes beyond what was first outlined in Bucharest in 2008 and in Lithuania last year. “We fully support Ukraine’s right to choose its own security system and to determine its own future free from external interference. Ukraine’s future is in NATO. Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated with the Alliance. We welcome the solid progress made on essential democratic, economic, and security reforms since the Vilnius Summit. As Ukraine continues this important work, “We will continue to support it on its irreversible path towards full Euro-Atlantic integration, including membership in NATO.”The document approved by the 32 partners says it very clearly.

,We confirm that when the Allies agree and the conditions are met, we will be in a position to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance.“The decisions of the NATO summit and the NATO-Ukraine Council, combined with the ongoing work of the Allies, form a bridge to Ukraine’s membership in NATO,” the statement said.

Just yesterday, the United States, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania signed another joint declaration, anticipating more anti-aircraft defenses, one of the main Ukrainian demands, to protect hospitals or energy infrastructure, which have been severely damaged this year and anticipate a very harsh winter. “Today we announce that, collectively, we will provide Ukraine with additional strategic air defense systems, including Patriot batteries donated by the United States, Germany and Romania, Patriot components donated by the Netherlands and other partners, and an additional SAMP-T system. These five strategic air defense systems donated by Italy will help protect Ukrainian cities, civilians and soldiers,” their joint statement said.