Leaders from the UK and the Netherlands are teaming up to help Ukraine acquire new F-16 fighter jets.
In a joint effort to provide long-term security assistance to Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Dutch leader Mark Rutte have pledged to form an international coalition to assist Ukraine in acquiring combat air capabilities, including the much-needed F-16 fighter jets, according to The Guardian.
UK PM Meeting with Ukraine President
This comes after Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met with PM Sunak on Monday, May 15, to discuss the role of fighter jets in "controlling the sky" during the country's crucial conflict with invading Russia.
While Ukraine has been seeking F-16 fighter jets for some time, the US, which manufactures them, has hesitated to supply them to Ukraine.
Politico reports that when asked by a reporter outside the White House in January whether the US would transfer the warplanes that Kyiv is pressing for, President Joe Biden replied, "No."
The administration has repeatedly stated that security assistance decisions are based on battlefield realities in Ukraine.
However, with the support of the UK and the Netherlands, Ukraine may be able to persuade the US to provide them with the much-needed military capability.
UK's Role in Boosting Ukraine's Firepower
The UK has already committed to training Ukrainian pilots in standard NATO techniques and building a new Ukrainian air force with NATO-standard F-16 jets.
Moreover, the UK has promised to supply hundreds of attack drones, significantly bolstering Ukraine's military capabilities.
According to reports, Ukraine will get hundreds of air defense missiles and additional unmanned aerial systems, including hundreds of new long-range attack drones with a range of more than 200 kilometers.
The joint effort between the UK and the Netherlands demonstrates their willingness to support Ukraine's long-term security and deter future attacks.
Beyond their efforts to help Ukraine acquire F-16 fighter jets, both countries have agreed to work together to tackle the issue of people trafficking.
Latest from the War in Ukraine
After months of grueling warfare in Ukraine's east, Insider reports that the country is finally making strides in reclaiming territory from Russian forces.
In particular, the town of Bakhmut has been a hotly contested area, with the conflict so intense that it has been nicknamed "the meat grinder" due to its devastating toll on the town.
Recently, Ukraine launched a series of surprise counterattacks that successfully reclaimed several miles of territory around Bakhmut.
This marks Ukraine's largest land gain since its autumn offensive in Kherson. Despite Russia's attempts to maintain control over the destroyed city, Ukrainian officials are touting the gains as proof of their long-standing strategy to withstand Russian attacks and exhaust their troops ahead of a much-anticipated counter-offensive.
While Russia still holds most of the city, Ukraine's recent gains are a promising sign that their approach may be working, and the addition of more air firepower from allies only strengthens Ukraine's grip on the war.
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